Malmo / The verdict
Malmo: which airport or route?
Fly into Copenhagen Airport, not Malmo Airport. The Oresundstag train leaves from a platform under the terminal every 20 minutes and reaches Malmo C in 35 to 40 minutes for DKK 96; Malmo Airport mainly serves low-cost and charter routes with a 40 to 50 minute bus into the city.
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The Malmo story
Malmo is Sweden's most easygoing city: a medieval core around Lilla Torg, Calatrava's twisting Turning Torso on the redeveloped harbour, a proper city beach at Ribersborg with its 1898 cold baths, and one of the country's most international food scenes, all stitched together by bike lanes. Copenhagen sits thirty-five minutes away across the Oresund Bridge, which makes Malmo both a destination and a day-trip base.
The verdict in 30 seconds
Our pick: Fly into Copenhagen Airport and take the train (runner-up: Fly into Malmo Airport and take the airport bus)
Fly into Copenhagen Airport, not Malmo Airport. The Oresundstag train leaves from a platform under the terminal every 20 minutes and reaches Malmo C in 35 to 40 minutes for DKK 96; Malmo Airport mainly serves low-cost and charter routes with a 40 to 50 minute bus into the city.
Go if
- You want the widest choice of flights plus a rail link built into the terminal
- You are pairing Malmo with Copenhagen on the same trip
- You are a road tripper covering Skane by car
Skip if
- You found a cheap Ryanair or Wizz Air fare that lands at Malmo Airport anyway
- You arrive after the last evening train and cannot wait for the morning service
The options
Fly into Copenhagen Airport and take the train Go
Almost every arrival: Kastrup is the region's main airport and its rail platform sits under the terminal.
Good
- The Oresundstag runs about every 20 minutes and reaches Malmo C in 35 to 40 minutes.
- The DKK 96 DSB ticket is valid on any departure within 3 hours, so a delayed flight costs nothing extra.
- Copenhagen Airport's route network dwarfs Malmo Airport's for long-haul and European connections.
- The bridge crossing itself doubles as a short sightseeing leg.
Watch out
- Swedish border checks can add a stop at Hyllie on the way in.
- Trains thin out late at night, so very late arrivals may wait until morning.
- You need the DSB machine or app; tickets are not sold onboard.
DSB Oresundsbillet ticketOresundstag ticket informationSee transfer optionspartner site
Fly into Malmo Airport and take the airport bus It depends
Travelers who find a cheap low-cost or charter fare into Sturup, especially to Eastern Europe, or who are heading to southern Skane rather than the city.
Good
- Fares on Ryanair, Wizz Air and the seasonal charter lines can be very low.
- The airport is small and quick to get through.
- The airport bus reaches Malmo C in 40 to 50 minutes, and a Skanetrafiken bus links to Svedala station for onward trains.
Watch out
- The route list is thin and skips most of Europe.
- There is no rail link at the airport.
- An onward leg to Copenhagen adds the full bridge trip on top.
Rent a car and drive the Oresund Bridge It depends
Road trips that cover Skane or southern Sweden beyond Malmo, where the car earns its keep across several days.
Good
- The bridge drive is direct, about 30 to 45 minutes from the Copenhagen airport area.
- Prepaying the toll online saves DKK 50 per crossing.
- A car unlocks Lund, the beaches and the countryside in one loop.
Watch out
- The toll is steep: DKK 470 per crossing at the toll station for a car under 6 meters.
- Cross-border rental terms and one-way fees must be checked with the agency first.
- Central Malmo parking is paid and limited.
Oresund Bridge toll pricesCompare rental carspartner site
Route via the Helsingor to Helsingborg ferry Skip
Only travelers already visiting Kronborg castle in Helsingor; for an airport-to-Malmo transfer it is a detour with two train changes.
Good
- Ferries cross every 15 to 30 minutes around the clock and the ride is short and pleasant.
- Foot-passenger tickets are cheap at SEK 69 to 85.
- It pairs naturally with a Kronborg stop in Helsingor.
Watch out
- It means a Danish train to Helsingor, the ferry, then a Swedish train south: roughly double the time of the bridge train.
- Combined ticket costs rarely beat the direct route.
- It is awkward with luggage or small children.
| Criterion | Fly into Copenhagen Airport and take the train | Fly into Malmo Airport and take the airport bus | Rent a car and drive the Oresund Bridge | Route via the Helsingor to Helsingborg ferry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Most arrivals: the biggest flight network plus a platform under the terminal | Cheap low-cost fares on its handful of routes | Road trips covering Skane beyond Malmo | Travelers already at Kronborg in Helsingor |
| Typical journey to central Malmo | 35 to 40 minutes by train | 40 to 50 minutes by airport bus | About 30 to 45 minutes driving, plus toll | About 1 h 45 min, ferry plus train |
| Official transport price, one way | DKK 96 | Not published | DKK 470 at the toll station, 420 online | SEK 85, or 69 in the operator's app |
| Frequency | About every 20 minutes | Flight-timed departures | Any time | Ferries every 15 to 30 minutes, then a train |
| Booking needed | No; buy at machines or in the app | Bus ticket sold online ahead of travel | No, but online prepayment saves DKK 50 | No; check in at least 3 minutes early |
| Border formalities | ID checks possible at Hyllie | Same Oresund rules apply | Same Oresund rules apply | Same Oresund rules apply |
What it costs
- DSB Oresundsbillet, Copenhagen Airport to Malmo, 2nd class: kr 96 (valid on any Oresundstag departure within 3 hours of the chosen one). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Oresund Bridge toll, car under 6m, paid at the toll station: kr 470 (DKK 420 booked online in advance, or 182 with an OresundGO subscription at 370 per year). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Oresundslinjen Helsingor to Helsingborg foot passenger, adult single: kr 85 (69 in the operator's app; children 7 to 15 and seniors 65+ pay 59). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
What travelers report
Based on 12 traveler reports (Apr 2025 to Sep 2026) and the official sources linked on this page. 0 were negative.
What people like
- The bridge train needs no planning: departures run about every 20 minutes and the DKK 96 ticket works on any departure within 3 hours (5 of 12 reports).
- The crossing doubles as a sightsee, with travelers treating the bridge stretch over the water as a highlight of the trip (3 of 12 reports).
- Copenhagen Airport's rail platform sits inside Terminal 3, so no shuttle or taxi leg is needed after landing (3 of 12 reports).
- Cheap low-cost fares into Malmo Airport pay off when its route list happens to match your origin (3 of 12 reports).
What people complain about
- Malmo Airport's route list is thin and there is no rail link, only a 40 to 50 minute airport bus (3 of 12 reports).
- The DKK 470 pay-at-the-station bridge toll surprises drivers who did not prepay (1 of 12 reports).
- Buying the right ticket confuses first-timers split between the Danish machines and the Swedish transport app (2 of 12 reports).
- Border checks mean carrying ID on what feels like a domestic hop (1 of 12 reports).
How to do it right
- Land at Copenhagen Airport and follow signs to the train platform inside Terminal 3.
- Buy the Oresundsbillet to Malmo at the red DSB machines or in the DSB app: DKK 96, valid on any Oresundstag within 3 hours.
- Board a train toward Malmo; services run about every 20 minutes and reach Malmo C in 35 to 40 minutes after stops at Hyllie and Triangeln.
- Carry your passport, since Swedish border checks happen at Hyllie station or onboard.
- Choose Malmo Airport only when its route list covers your origin, then take the airport bus, 40 to 50 minutes to Malmo C.
- Rent a car only for a wider Skane itinerary, and prepay the bridge toll online to save DKK 50 per crossing.
The trap to avoid
Booking Malmo Airport for the name. Its route list is thin, mostly low-cost Eastern Europe plus charters, with no rail link and a 40 to 50 minute bus into town. Copenhagen Airport carries almost every long-haul flight and sits on top of the train that reaches Malmo in 35 to 40 minutes.
Why this verdict
Geography makes Copenhagen Airport the de facto Malmo airport. Kastrup sits on the Danish side of the Oresund but its rail platform is inside Terminal 3, and the Oresundstag covers the crossing to Malmo C in 35 to 40 minutes for DKK 96. Travelers who compare the two airports for this trip land on the same answer: Copenhagen wins on flight coverage and on the rail link under the roof, while Malmo Airport earns its keep only when a cheap Ryanair, Wizz Air or charter fare happens to match your route.
The evidence splits cleanly along those lines. Reports praising the train emphasize how little planning it needs: departures run about every 20 minutes, the ticket is flexible within a three-hour window, and the bridge stretch is scenic enough to count as a small sight in itself. The complaints cluster on Malmo Airport’s thin network and the drive’s toll, which surprises drivers who pay at the booth instead of prepaying online.
The ferry detour via Helsingor and Helsingborg is the one option most travelers should skip. It stacks a Danish train, a ferry and a Swedish train into roughly double the journey time, and the only real case for it is a planned stop at Kronborg castle. Driving the bridge is fine for a wider Skane itinerary, but a return crossing in tolls alone costs DKK 940 at the station, so the train wins for a simple visit.
Timing and tickets
The last useful trains leave around midnight, so late arrivals at Kastrup may be better off sleeping near the airport and crossing in the morning. Border checks can happen at Hyllie or onboard, which means carrying a passport even though the crossing feels like a domestic hop. On the drive, the online prepayment drops the toll from 470 to 420 DKK per crossing, and regular commuters use the 370-per-year OresundGO subscription to cut it further.
Book or check times
DSB Oresundsbillet ticketOresundstag ticket informationSwedavia Malmo Airport busesFlygbussarna airport coachOresund Bridge toll pricesOresundslinjen ferry prices
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Questions
Which airport is closer to Malmo?
By rail, Copenhagen Airport. The Oresundstag runs from a platform under Terminal 3 to Malmo C in 35 to 40 minutes. Malmo Airport sits about 30 kilometers east of the city with only a bus link.
How much is the train from Copenhagen Airport to Malmo?
DKK 96 one way on the DSB Oresundsbillet, sold at the airport's DSB machines, in the DSB app and at Swedish Oresundstag station machines. The ticket works on any departure within 3 hours of the chosen one.
What airlines fly into Malmo Airport?
The list shifts with the seasons but centers on Ryanair routes such as London Stansted, Warsaw-Modlin and Zagreb, Wizz Air services to Eastern Europe including a new Pristina route from December 15, 2026, Sunclass charters and domestic flights.
Can I do Malmo as a day trip from Copenhagen by train?
Yes. Trains run about every 20 minutes from Copenhagen Central and take about 40 minutes, so a late-evening return is easy and a day in Malmo needs no overnight stay.
How much does it cost to drive over the Oresund Bridge?
For a car under 6 meters the toll is DKK 470 per crossing at the toll station, DKK 420 if booked online beforehand, or 182 per crossing with an OresundGO subscription that costs 370 per year.
Do I need a passport on the Copenhagen to Malmo train?
Carry one. Sweden runs border checks on the Oresundstag, usually at Hyllie station, and non-Nordic travelers need valid ID.
Pack for it
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