Copenhagen, Denmark to Malmö, Sweden
The Øresund Bridge and Tunnel are recent engineering marvels. Completed in 2000, it first linked Sweden to mainland Europe by road and rail. Before that, all traffic between them was by boat or plane. Now, the trip between Copenhagen and Malmö takes about 40 minutes.
Our Airbnb in Copenhagen was on Amager Island, just a few subway stops from Copenhagen Airport Station. From there, it was convenient to book a direct train to Malmö. Crossing the international border, we had our passports, but as we were in the Schengen Area, passport control was not required.
The bridge and tunnel’s opening transformed the Øresund area, fueling regional growth. The area surrounding the Strait now has a population of 4.2 million, including Region Zealand in Denmark and Region Skåne in Sweden. Together, this forms the largest metropolitan area in Scandinavia and one of Europe’s fastest-growing labor markets. The bridge enables thousands to commute daily for work between the two countries, making cross-border mobility routine.
Our crossing was uneventful, as is common with such engineering marvels. We enjoyed taking a day trip to a cool city in a new country, just a short train ride away. When I travel, I’m always struck by how bridges bring us together. If Denmark and Sweden, once rivals, can build a bridge that unites them, it gives me hope that humanity can achieve the same by building bridges.