Connecting

The 8-kilometre bridge is crossed by about 70,000 people each day

For more than 24 years, the 8-kilometre Øresund Bridge has served as a crucial link between Sweden and Denmark, providing a combined railway and motorway connection across the Øresund strait.

The bridge, a joint venture between Swedish firm Svedab and Danish company A/S Øresundsforbindelsen, makes up half of the journey from Sweden to the Danish Island of Amager.

Beginning near the city of Malmo on the Swedish coast, it extends to the man-made Danish Island of Peberholm, situated in the middle of the strait.

From Peberholm, a tunnel completes the remaining journey to the island of Amager, where Copenhagen airport is located, bringing the total distance travelled to around 16 km.

Construction on the bridge began in 1995, and it officially opened its lanes to traffic in July 2000. Just two years later, it was recognised with the IABSE Outstanding Structure Award, reports the Mirror.

Peberholm acts as a junction between the tunnel and the bridge.

It’s fitted with a motorway exit, restricted to authorised vehicles only, and a helicopter pad for use in emergencies.

The bridge, which sees an average daily footfall of 70,000 people, came with a hefty price tag of around £3.4 billion. The cost is expected to be recouped by 2037.

Crossing fees vary depending on the type of vehicle. Motorcyclists are charged £25.68, passenger cars £50.77, and vans, motorhomes or passenger cars with a trailer pay a staggering £178.55.

The Øresund Bridge claims the second spot as the longest bridge in Europe, only outdone by the 18.1km Kerch Bridge.

The latter spans the Kerch Strait, linking the Taman Peninsula of Krasnodar Krai in Russia and the Kerch Peninsula of Crimea.

SCOTLAND could soon have its own direct link to Europe via ferry.

Plans have been in the works for years to connect Scotland to northern France and it’s set to become a reality in 2026.

Called ‘Project Brave’, the ferry route was first proposed in 2022 and was originally set to launch in spring 2025, but has faced delays due to a lack of funding.

The route is now being actively pursued once more and could be reintroduced as early as 2026 with the funding issue having now been resolved.

If it goes ahead, the service will link Rosyth, a town in Fife to Dunkirk in France.

If it goes ahead, the route would run three times a week and take 20 hours in total.

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Speaking in Westminster in November 2024, Scottish MP Graeme Downie proposed that £3 million in funding was needed to start up the service.

He said: “It is estimated the direct ferry link would initially carry 51,000 passengers a year, rising to 79,000, bringing an additional £11.5 million of spend to the Scottish economy.”

The new proposed route would become one of the longest ferry journeys in Europe.

But that title currently belongs to the service between Portsmouth to Bilbao in Spain, which lasts between 27 and 30 hours.

In the past, Scotland had a similar service between Rosyth and Zeebrugge which Belgium previously connected Scotland to Europe.

The overnight crossing took 17 hours and operated four times per week.

The route was discontinued in 2008, following six years of service.

It was reintroduced in 2009, but was pulled again in 2010 because of insufficient demand.

DFDS operates three main routes from the UK to France.

These are from Dover to Calais, Dover to Dunkirk and Newhaven to Dieppe.

Currently, there are no direct passenger ferries from Scotland to mainland Europe.

Other routes DFDS offers include those to the Channel Islands from southern England and the northernmost major ferry route from the UK from Newcastle to Amsterdam.

Another ferry route connects Essex to the Netherlands…

Elsewhere in the UK, Harwich, a seaside town in Essex, already has a direct ferry service to Europe.

Brits looking to head to the Netherlands will be excited to know about Harwich’s ferry link to the Hook of Holland.

With a journey time of roughly seven hours, many tourists opt for the sleeper service so they can arrive in Holland early in the morning.

From the Dutch ferry port, Rotterdam is 40 minutes away by car, while a drive to Amsterdam takes just over an hour.

Meanwhile, a new ferry route to ‘Maldives-style’ UK island loved by royals was scrapped last year.

Plus, find out if taking a ferry could save you money on your next holiday.

The Brenner Base Tunnel, which is currently under construction, will be the longest tunnel in the world when it opens in 2032 – and it will connect Austria and Italy.

The Brenner Base Tunnel is presently being built and will link Austria and Italy together. This remarkable tunnel, destined to become the world’s longest, is due to launch in 2032.

The rail tunnel will join Innsbruck in Austria with Franzensfeste/Fortezza in Italy, bridging two nations across different time zones. Building costs are projected at 8.54billion euros (£7.4billion).

The spectacular BBT will form a cutting-edge railway tunnel spanning 55km (34 miles) in total.

BBT explained: “In May 1994, a railway bypass was opened south of Innsbruck, known as the Inn valley tunnel. This 12.7 km tunnel links to the Brenner Base Tunnel.

“Passenger and freight trains along this stretch will therefore not only travel through the Brenner Base Tunnel, but for a few kilometres, through the Inn valley tunnel as well. This line, totalling 64 kilometres, will become the longest underground railway connection in the world.”

An unusual aspect of the Brenner Base Tunnel is the “exploratory tunnel running from one end to the other.”

“This tunnel lies between the two main tunnels and about 12m below them and with a diameter of 5m is noticeably smaller than the main tubes.

“The excavations currently underway on the exploratory tunnel should provide information on the rock mass and thereby reduce construction costs and times to a minimum.

“The exploratory tunnel will be essential for drainage when the BBT becomes operational.”

Other unique railway constructions include the world’s longest train journey, which links three countries and crosses eight time zones.

The Trans-Siberian Railway is a series of train routes in Russia, Mongolia and China that connect remote parts of the world and offer holidaymakers ‘absolutely incomparable landscapes’

The Trans-Siberian Railway in Russia is the longest railway journey, traversing three countries and two continents, taking holidaymakers to some of the world’s most secluded spots. The train links Russia, Mongolia and China on a continuous journey across eight time zones.

The classic Trans-Siberian journey takes seven days, connecting Moscow to Vladivostok over a distance of 9,258km (6,152 miles).

Other routes include the six-day Trans-Manchurian trip from Moscow to Beijing, a five-day journey to Ulan-Bator, and the shortest route, the Trans-Mongolian, which runs from Moscow to Beijing via Mongolia.

Ticket prices range from roughly $120 (£88) for a standard ticket to $1,000 (£740) for first class travel.

Russian Train stated: “As soon as it was built at the beginning of the 19th century, the Trans-Siberian Railway was proclaimed the finest of the diamonds on the crown of the Russian Empire and became famous to the whole world.

“Since then, it has been attracting many travellers striving to see the miracle of engineering and to experience the peculiar way of journey.

“At the same time, the Trans-Siberian regular trains are mostly used by locals for their commuting needs, so it is an excellent way to meet the real people and feel the pure soul of the country.”

The Trans-Siberian Railway presents holidaymakers with “absolutely incomparable landscapes”, making the journey a truly unique adventure.

One traveller reviewed the train trip on Tripadvisor as a “unique, unforgettable journey”, while another described it as a “fascinating experience”.

“My wife and I crossed off our list one of these ‘must-do in our lifetime’ items, which was the Trans Siberian Railway. Time flies on the train, I barely read one book in four days, the rest of the time stared out of the window; Russia by train is fascinating!”