Ron Bernthal
The Öresund Metro, a metro between Malmö and Copenhagen, will be an innovative infrastructure project for Sweden, Denmark, and Europe. The Metro will help solve future needs for sustainable freight transport and long-distance connections to and from Europe. At the same time, it promotes green commuting and public transport in the largest labor market region in the Nordic countries.
The Öresund Metro between Copenhagen and Malmö will further connect the Öresund region. Mobility across the Öresund Strait will become significantly faster and more robust. When the Fehmarnbelt tunnel between Denmark and Germany opens in 2029, the number of freight trains transporting goods between Scandinavia and Central Europe is expected to increase. By separating traffic, enabling commuters and other travelers to choose the Öresunds Metro, there becomes more space for both long-distance and freight trains on the Öresund Bridge.
With a travel time of about 20 minutes between Malmö and Copenhagen, and departures every 90 seconds, the labor market becomes larger and more cohesive. With shorter travel times, the number of people who can reach the other side of Öresund within an hour increases from 1.3 to 2.3 million. The number of jobs available increases simultaneously by roughly 500,000, from 0.8 to 1.3 million jobs, and increased mobility promotes the conditions for better matching on the labor market in the entire Öresund region.
To meet the capacity needs for more freight trains, the European transport corridor between northern Scandinavia and southern Italy must make room for more freight trains per hour and direction in the Fehmarnbelt tunnel and on the Öresund Bridge. The Öresund Metro contributes to creating more space on the Öresund Bridge as more people can commute and travel with the Metro instead. Freight trains and other long-distance trains reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to EU goals. By 2030, 30% of all freight transport on roads should be switched to other modes of transport, such as rail or sea transport, and more than 50% before 2050.
In the future, more personal and commuter trips that today are made with the Öresundståg (passenger train across the bridge) can be made with the Öresund Metro. This, in turn, provides more flexible and robust planning and management of both train operations on the Öresund Bridge and planning of connections on land. When more goods are transported by rail, a greener and more climate-friendly freight transport between Scandinavia and Central Europe is assured. And at the same time, this decreases the amount of trucks on the highways in Sweden and Denmark.
The Öresund Metro also provides an alternative route to and from Copenhagen Airport, which is southern Sweden’s, and all of Denmark’s, international airport. This makes the whole transport system more robust.
The Öresund Metro will contribute to greater mobility across the Öresund for the working population. It increases accessibility and reduces travel time to work, education, and culture across the Öresund. Overall, the region’s opportunities to attract international investments and labor to the Öresund region are strengthened. Many sectors and businesses can benefit from this, such as the life science industry or the research and education ecosystem. A completion year has not yet been announced.
map © Malmo Stad
More benefits of the Öresund Metro:
Faster, greener, smarter
- A travel time of approximately 20 minutes and departures every 90 seconds provide a larger and more cohesive labor market.
- The number of residents who can reach each other across the Öresund within an hour increases from 1.3 to 2.3 million.
- The number of workplaces increases by about 500,000, from 0.8 million to 1.3 million.
- Cross-border mobility is promoted and the conditions for better matchmaking in the labour market are increased.
- The EU’s climate goals can be reached by moving freight trains from road to rail across the Öresund Bridge.
- Increased redundancy and punctuality for public transport between southern Sweden and Copenhagen Airport.
