The incredible £3.4bn bridge between two countries that costs £52 to cross | World | News
Two European countries are connected by a huge £3.4billion bridge that has a railway and motorway connection.
The Øresund Bridge takes visitors and locals between Malmo, Sweden, and the Danish island of Peberholm.
The island is located in the Øresund Strait, a body of water running between Denmark and Sweden.
The bridge, opened in 2000, is 9.8 miles long and helps connect drivers to key locations such as Copenhagen Airport – but it takes a whopping £52 for the privilege of crossing it.
Peberholm, an artificial island built as part of the project, connects tunnels and bridges while also having a helipad to help emergency services respond to traffic incidents.
The initial cost of the bridge was £3.44billion with the costs covered by both the Swedish and Danish governments.
They hope to make back the money spent on the project by 2037 thanks to the tolling system on the bridge.
It costs motorcyclists £26.35 and a normal car £52.14 to cross. If you drive a motorhome or van, it costs a hefty £183.34 to cross.
In 2022, more than 18,000 road vehicles crossed the bridge.
The Øresund committee believes the bridge will make £6.53billion in revenue for both Sweden and Denmark.
The bridge has become such an important part of relations between Sweden and Denmark that it has also made a mark in a variety of tv shows and other pop culture events.
In the crime television series called The Bridge, the Øresund Bridge is at the centre of the story involving a murder investigation carried out by police from both Sweden and Denmark.
In 2013, the bridge also inspired the set design for the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo.
