Øresund Bridge

The Øresund Bridge is a combination bridge-tunnel for cars and trains that connects Denmark and Sweden.

The bridge joins Copenhagen with Malmö in about 30 minutes by train.  It has the longest cable-stayed main span in the world.  The tunnel part is the longest underwater tube tunnel in the world.

The bridge runs 8 km (5 miles) from Sweden to an artificial island in the middle of the strait.  Then it's a tunnel to the Danish island of Amager.  The tunnel portion was created so that the bridge would not interfere with air traffic from Copenhagen's airport.  It also allows for ships to have a clear channel and prevents ice floes from blocking the strait.

Construction began in 1995 and it was completed in 1999.  It cost about $5.7 billion to build and it should pay for itself by 2035.  It's definitely better to cross the bridge by train because it is a toll bridge.  A one-way trip across in a car is €40 (~$50).  However, with an annual subscription you can get a discount and it then only costs €20 each way.

While I did ride the train across the bridge I wasn't able to take any pictures.  The weather was so overcast that it was impossible to even see the bridge from Sweden.  The photos here are ones that I found out on the Internet.