Malmo / The verdict
Is crossing the Oresund Bridge worth it?
By train, yes: the crossing takes about 40 minutes for DKK 96 and visitors found it fun and easy. By car it turns into a judgment call, since the one-way toll is DKK 470 at the booth (DKK 420 online, checked 2026-10-09).
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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
It depends
By train, yes: the crossing takes about 40 minutes for DKK 96 and visitors found it fun and easy. By car it turns into a judgment call, since the one-way toll is DKK 470 at the booth (DKK 420 online, checked 2026-10-09).
Go if
- Travelers already in Copenhagen with a spare half day: two visiting couples found the train to Malmö fun and easy at about 40 minutes
- Anyone curious about the engineering: one couple called taking the Øresund Bridge an interesting experience
- Day-trippers on a budget: DKK 96 each way at the official DSB fare table
Skip if
- Drivers who expected a cheap crossing: the car toll runs DKK 470 one way at the toll station, DKK 420 booked online
- Anyone without a passport or national ID: the official operator says you need valid ID, and police checks usually take place at Hyllie, the first station in Sweden
- Cyclists or pedestrians: the bridge carries only road and rail traffic, so the crossing is by train or car
What it costs
- Car crossing, one way, paid at the toll station: kr 470 (Cars under 6 m; motorcycle DKK 240; prices valid from 14 September 2026). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Car crossing, one way, online ticket in advance: kr 420 (Online ticket saves DKK 50 each way versus the toll station price). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Car crossing with ØresundGO subscription, one way: kr 182 (Requires the annual ØresundGO subscription, 370 DKK per year; aimed at commuters rather than visitors). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Øresund train, Copenhagen or Kastrup to Malmö, adult single: kr 96 (DSB Øresund fare table, København/Kastrup to Malmö; zones F and L, two children under 7 ride free per adult). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Øresund train, Copenhagen or Kastrup to Lund, adult single: kr 109 (Same fare table, one stop further; a family ticket cuts 20% off two adult tickets). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
What travelers report
Based on 4 traveler reports (Oct 2024 to Jul 2025) and the official sources linked on this page. 0 were negative.
What people like
- The crossing is easy by train: two visiting couples found it fun and easy at about 40 minutes
- It is a quick way to add a second country: one couple called taking the Øresund Bridge an interesting experience
- No booking ahead is needed, per a forum reply
- The train fare is DKK 96 at the official DSB fare table, far below the car toll
What people complain about
- The car toll is high: DKK 470 one way at the booth
- ID checks are possible on the Swedish side; a 2022 account describes the fences and police checks at Hyllie as a jolt, though the same author says such controls are now quite rare
- Tickets cannot be bought on board, so buy before boarding
How to do it right
- Take the train unless you need the car; two visiting couples found it about 40 minutes city center to city center and easy.
- Buy tickets before boarding: the official operator does not sell tickets on board, and app tickets must be activated before departure. One forum reply says to buy direct from the Swedish operator's app rather than a reseller.
- No need to book ahead: a forum reply says there is no benefit to booking the Copenhagen to Malmö trains in advance.
- Carry a passport or national ID: the official operator says police can check at Hyllie, the first station in Sweden, either on the platform or on board.
- If driving anyway, book the crossing online first: it drops the toll from DKK 470 to DKK 420 each way.
The trap to avoid
Driving across for the view. The road toll is DKK 470 one way at the booth, while the train costs DKK 96 and takes about the same time. One couple chose the train over driving because it was easier.
What to do instead
Why this verdict
The crossing is worth experiencing, but only one version of it is cheap. On rails it is a 35-minute regional train that happens to spend eight of those minutes above a grey-green strait on a famous double-decker bridge. Travelers describe phones coming out mid-span, a tiny Swedish flag marking the border, and Copenhagen falling away behind. At DKK 96 one way it is one of the better value novelties in Scandinavia.
In a car, the same crossing costs DKK 470 one way at the toll station, a price Swedish newspapers have measured as the most expensive bridge toll in the world. The operator points out the bridge was financed entirely by user tolls rather than taxes, which is why the booth stings. Booking online trims it to DKK 420, and the commuter subscription drops it further, but for a one-off visitor the arithmetic keeps favoring the train.
The third variable is the border. Sweden runs spot ID checks at Hyllie, the first station after the bridge, and reports of being caught without a passport turn a novelty trip into a hassle. Carry ID, sit on the right side toward Sweden for the water view, and the crossing earns its reputation as an experience rather than a commute.
The bridge carries meaning beyond the toll debate. A 25-year retrospective finds it changed lives and boosted business on both sides of the strait, anniversary coverage of Danish and Swedish royals meeting mid-span underlines how central the crossing is to the region’s identity, and a travel feature calls it a symbol of Scandinavian unity whose toll still tests commuters’ goodwill.
The texture of the ride comes through in the reports. A train guide calls it one of the most pleasant urban rail journeys in Scandinavia, a first-person account recommends the right-hand side for water views, a border essay describes passengers photographing the sea mid-crossing and then the jolt of fences and ID checks at Hyllie, and a drive-across video captures the engineering and Baltic views from the road deck under clear skies. Forum regulars steer riders away from third-party resellers toward the Swedish transit app, noting no benefit to booking the frequent shuttles ahead.
Timing and tickets
Trains run about every 20 minutes day and evening, and Skånetrafiken bridge singles are valid two to five hours depending on the trip. There is no onboard sale, so buy first: DSB machines, the DSB site, or the Skånetrafiken app with activation before departure. Drivers should buy the online ticket before reaching the toll station.
Book or check times
Øresund Bridge toll pricesDSB Øresund fares between the citiesÖresundståg tickets and border infoÖresundståg border control page
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Guided day trip to Lund and Malmöpartner site
Where to stay
Staying in Malmo?
Which area of Malmo to stay in, based on traveler reports. Search Malmo hotels on Expedia partner site
Questions
How long does the Øresund crossing take by train?
Two visiting couples report about 40 minutes city center to city center between Copenhagen and Malmö.
How much is the Øresund Bridge toll for a car?
A one-way crossing in a car under six metres costs DKK 470 at the toll station or DKK 420 with an online ticket. The ØresundGO subscription drops it to DKK 182 per crossing plus a DKK 370 annual fee (all checked 2026-10-09 on the operator's price page).
Do I need a passport to cross to Sweden?
Yes, carry a passport or national ID. The official operator says Swedish police can perform border control, usually at Hyllie, either on the platform or on board. A traveler who made the trip in 2022 describes police ID checks there and says such controls are now quite rare.
Can you walk or cycle across the Øresund Bridge?
No. The bridge carries only road and rail traffic, so walkers and cyclists cannot use it.
Do I need to book the train ahead?
No. A forum reply says there is no benefit to booking ahead on the Copenhagen to Malmö route. Buy a ticket before boarding, because the official operator does not sell tickets on the train.