Both sides of the sound
Things to do
More fits between two crossings than you would think: Copenhagen and Malmö are 35 minutes apart, and both centres can be walked in a day.
What is worth booking ahead
For Tivoli, canal tours and the Copenhagen Card, buying ahead pays off mainly in summer — not for the price but for the queues. Most offers can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before, which helps when a storm closes the bridge.
Copenhagen: tours and tickets
Canal tours, Tivoli, guided walks and the Copenhagen Card.
Copenhagen in one day
From the bridgehead at Kastrup it is ten minutes into town. One order that works: Nyhavn and the canal tour in the morning, Torvehallerne at noon, Christiansborg or the harbour baths at Islands Brygge in the afternoon.
If you come by car, park on the edge and take the metro in — Copenhagen is built for bicycles, not for parking spaces.
Malmö and Skåne
Guided walks, Malmöhus castle, day trips to Lund and the Skåne coast.
Malmö in three hours
Malmö is compact: from the station to Stortorget, on through Gamla Väster to Malmöhus castle, then out to Västra Hamnen and the Turning Torso — from there you can see the bridge you came over.
With more time, Lund is worth it: 25 minutes by train, a Romanesque cathedral and the second-oldest university in Scandinavia.
Common questions
Does the Copenhagen Card work in Malmö?
No. It covers public transport in greater Copenhagen and Danish museums; the bridge crossing and Swedish sights are not included.
Can I do Copenhagen and Malmö in one day?
Yes, if you limit yourself to one district each. The Öresundståg runs every 20 minutes; allow for the border check heading into Sweden.
What if the bridge is closed?
Trains usually keep running longer than the road. Otherwise the Helsingør–Helsingborg ferry remains — the detour via North Zealand costs a good hour.