The Öresund Bridge, a landmark infrastructure project linking Denmark and Sweden, is celebrating 25 years since its official opening. The 16-kilometre combined road and rail bridge, the longest of its kind in the European Union, has transformed the Øresund region by facilitating cross-border commuting, business development, and regional integration. However, as usage reaches record levels, new challenges such as overcrowding, administrative complexity, and cultural differences underline the need for continued innovation and investment.
A Quarter Century of Cross-Border Connectivity
The idea to connect the Danish capital, Copenhagen, with Sweden’s third-largest city, Malmö, began in 1991 when the two governments signed an agreement to build a permanent link across the Öresund Strait. Prior to the bridge’s construction, travel relied mainly on ferries and short-haul flights, which limited economic and social integration.
The project, completed in 2000 after five years of construction at a cost of 30 billion Danish kroner ($4.3 billion; £3 billion), encompasses a bridge and tunnel, stretching a total of 16 kilometres. It quickly became an iconic symbol of Scandinavian cooperation and inspired cultural projects, such as the internationally acclaimed crime drama The Bridge, which highlights cross-border collaboration.
“This structure was designed to make travel faster and easier, enabling the region to thrive economically and socially,” said Johan Wessman, CEO of Öresundsinstitutet, an independent research institute that monitors regional development.
Economic and Social Impact: Increased Mobility and Business Growth
Since its opening, the Öresund Bridge has significantly increased cross-border commuting and migration. Data released by Öresundsinstitutet in May 2025 shows that cross-border commuting has risen by more than 400%, although exact figures are complicated by changing data collection methods over time. The number of residents relocating across the strait has grown by over 60%.
Oskar Damkjaer, a 28-year-old software engineer living in Copenhagen, exemplifies this trend. He commutes twice weekly to Malmö for work, valuing the convenience and work-life balance the bridge affords. “People think it’s a big deal to commute to another country,” he said. “But it’s quite convenient.”
Laurine Deschamps, a global brand manager originally from Malmö who now works at Danish gaming company IO Interactive in Copenhagen, also commutes regularly. She prefers the smaller scale and walkability of Malmö but appreciates the career opportunities the bridge enables. “Some choose Copenhagen for the vibrant capital environment,” she explained, “but I prefer Malmö — it’s human-sized.”
The bridge has also spurred substantial business activity in the region. The Öresundsinstitutet reports a 73% rise in companies operating on the opposite side of the water, with over 100 businesses relocating regional headquarters or specialist offices to Malmö, including parts of the Ikea Group and Swedish bank Ikano.
“Many major Danish companies establish offices in Malmö rather than Stockholm, especially in sectors like pharmaceuticals,” Wessman said. The availability of modern office spaces, proximity to Copenhagen’s international airport, and access to a larger skilled labour pool underpin this attractiveness.
Innovation and Knowledge Exchange
Malmö and the wider Öresund region have experienced a surge in tech startups and life science ventures since the bridge’s opening. Research by Lund University in 2022 found patent applications per capita rising faster in Malmö than in other Swedish hubs such as Gothenburg and Stockholm.
A study by the university’s economics department estimated that Danish-Swedish trade in the area is approximately 25% higher than it would have been without the bridge. Sandra Mondahl, a senior manager at IO Interactive who helped launch the firm’s sister studio in Malmö, regards the bridge as a unique asset fostering collaboration. “It empowers me to contribute to both Denmark’s and Sweden’s game development scenes,” she said.
Transport Demand and Infrastructure Constraints
Cross-border rail commuting has hit record numbers in 2024, with nearly 41,000 trips daily, a rebound from declines caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated border controls. While the growth in passengers highlights the bridge’s success, it has also resulted in overcrowded trains.
Johan Wessman warns that infrastructure upgrades lag behind demand. “Future generation trains designed to ease overcrowding won’t be introduced until around 2030,” he said, underscoring the urgent need for capacity expansion.
Despite the boom in business relocations to Malmö, commuting remains largely one-directional — over 95% of cross-border workers travel from Malmö to Copenhagen. “Malmö is a regional city with fewer high-paying jobs compared to Copenhagen,” Wessman explained, noting that this imbalance is a key hurdle for deeper integration.
Administrative and Cultural Barriers
Practical challenges extend beyond infrastructure. The CEO of Danish-owned online fashion retailer Boozt, which recently moved its headquarters from Malmö to Copenhagen, cited difficulties attracting young Danish talent to Sweden. Hermann Haraldsson acknowledged: “There is a mental barrier for some Danes to work in Sweden, despite longer commutes within Copenhagen itself.”
Haraldsson also criticised the cost of commuting: a one-way train ticket from Copenhagen to Malmö costs approximately $17 (£13; €15), while driving over the bridge can cost up to $80, albeit with discounts for frequent travelers. Administrative complexity around taxes, pensions, parental leave, and unemployment benefits further complicates cross-border employment, despite a new income tax agreement implemented in January 2025 aimed at simplifying commuter taxation.
Moreover, cultural differences between Danes and Swedes continue to challenge integration. Wessman said, “While Denmark and Sweden appear similar externally, working cultures differ significantly.” Mondahl described how the consensus-driven Swedish workplace contrasts with Danish bluntness. “Meetings can be longer, needing everyone to be heard,” she noted, highlighting the need for adaptive management styles.
Looking Ahead: Regional Integration and New Cross-Border Projects
Despite these challenges, the Öresund Bridge remains a model of cross-border cooperation and regional development. Its success has inspired infrastructure projects such as the Fehmarnbelt tunnel under the Baltic Sea, intended to secure stronger connections between Denmark and Germany, and proposals for new Baltic Sea crossings linking Finland and Sweden.
Wessman emphasised the geopolitical significance of fixed links amid increased regional security concerns following Sweden and Finland’s accession to NATO, enhancing collective defense commitments.
In addition, Swedish and Danish authorities are exploring several new cross-border connections, including road and rail tunnels connecting Danish cities to southern Sweden (Helsingborg or Landskrona) and an expanded subway between Malmö and Copenhagen.
“I expect it will take several years before the next major crossing is ready,” Wessman said. “But it will be needed.”
Conclusión
Twenty-five years after its inauguration, the Öresund Bridge has reshaped the economic and social landscape of Scandinavia, turning two nations into a connected region with shared opportunities. The infrastructure stands as a testament to international collaboration, even as it confronts modern demands and the complexities of a truly integrated border region. Ongoing investment, policy coordination, and cultural understanding will be critical to sustaining and expanding the bridge’s legacy in the decades ahead.
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