The Øresund Bridge has been connecting Sweden and Denmark for over 24 years, with around 70,000 people crossing daily.
For over 24 years, the 8-kilometre Øresund Bridge has been a vital link between Sweden and Denmark, offering a combined railway and motorway connection across the Øresund strait.
The bridge, a collaborative project between Swedish company Svedab and Danish firm A/S Øresundsforbindelsen, forms half of the journey from Sweden to the Danish Island of Amager.
Starting near the city of Malmo on the Swedish coast, it stretches to the man-made Danish Island of Peberholm, nestled in the heart of the strait.
From Peberholm, a tunnel completes the remaining journey to the island of Amager, home to Copenhagen airport, bringing the total distance travelled to around 16 km.
Work on the bridge kicked off in 1995, and it officially opened its lanes to traffic in July 2000. Just two years later, it was honoured with the IABSE Outstanding Structure Award.
Peberholm serves as a junction between the tunnel and the bridge.
It’s equipped with a motorway exit, restricted to authorised vehicles only, and a helicopter pad for use in the event of road accidents.
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 whopping £178.55.
The Øresund Bridge takes the silver medal for being the second-longest bridge in Europe, only surpassed by the 18.1km Kerch Bridge.
The latter stretches across the Kerch Strait, connecting the Taman Peninsula of Krasnodar Krai in Russia and the Kerch Peninsula of Crimea.