A Day Trip from Copenhagen to Malmö, Sweden

Updated on March 28, 2024

One of the things I love most about traveling throughout Europe is the ease with which you can hop on a train and be in another country to experience a completely different culture. If you’re planning to visit Copenhagen, I highly recommend taking a day trip to Malmö, Sweden while you’re there. In just 30 minutes, you can travel by train between both cities/countries!

The Øresund Bridge is a 16 km. long double-track railway and motorway that opened in 2000 and connects Denmark to Sweden. Trains cost about €14 one-way and run approximately every 20 minutes making this an easy voyage and a great day or weekend trip. The easiest way to get your tickets is to book them online in advance here.

As soon as you step outside Malmö’s Central Station, you’ll see the beauty of Malmö’s historic architecture. There is also the option to take a guided tour from Copenhagen to Malmö and Lund, stopping off at several sites along the way. Don’t forget to book your tours prior to arriving. I use GetYourGuide to book my tours as they have a lot of flexible options.

Day Trip from Copenhagen to Malmö | ChelseaDinen.com

Stortorget

Malmö’s main square is a short walk from Central Station. Built in the 1500’s, you’ll see many beautiful buildings here, including Apoteket Lejonet, one of Sweden’s most well-preserved 19th-century pharmacies.

Lilla Torg

Go for a walk around Malmö’s “Little Square” which is just off the main Stortorget. You’ll see that the architecture here is a bit different. Instead of Dutch Renaissance architecture, Lilla Torg is characterized by cobblestone streets and half-timbered houses. Houses from the 1600s to the 1800s are now home to various restaurants and bars.

Saint Peter’s Church (Sankt Petri Kyrka)

This stunning Brick Gothic church was built in the early 14th century. Coming from the U.S., it’s still hard for me to fully grasp how many things I’ve seen so far here in Europe that date back to those times. It fascinates me. I just stand there and marvel at the beauty of it all as I’m transported back in time. That’s exactly how I felt when I visited the former Saint Nicholas Church (Sankt Nikolaj Kunsthall) in Copenhagen which was built in the early 12th century!

Since Saint Peter’s Church is located just a short walk form Stortorget, I definitely recommend stopping by to appreciate those flying buttresses.

Fika

If you’ve been a reader or followed me on Instagram for a while now, you know about my love for hygge (and if you don’t, head over to my hygge archives to find out about this Danish word for the feeling of being comfy and cosy). Well, I knew that while I was in Sweden, I wanted to experience fika. Fika is an important part of Swedish culture. It’s a time where you take a break to enjoy coffee and cakes with friends.

I was traveling solo, but I joined two other ladies at their table upstairs where I enjoyed a massive piece of white chocolate cheesecake from the cafe Pronto in Lilla Torg. The gentleman working there was so kind and helped me decide which piece of cake to go with as they all sounded delicious.

Needless to say, my first fika was incredible and now I can’t wait to go back to Sweden for more. It’s such a nice way to take a break from your work day or travels to slow down, be present, and enjoy some treats.

Recommended Reading: What to do in Stockholm, Sweden

After fika, it was getting dark at that point (before 4:00pm) and as the city lights came on, the streets started to glow. I decided to walk around to take in the warm, cosy feeling and enjoy more of the historic architecture. If you’re an architecture lover like I am, you won’t be disappointed as you wander around Malmö. I fell in love with the many medieval buildings and couldn’t wait to later research what each building used to be!

If you’re looking for more things to explore in Malmö, check out Malmö Castle which is now home to many different museums and the famous Turning Torso skyscraper which is the tallest building in Scandinavia. If the weather is nice, you can book a guided boat tour throughout the city!

Getting Tickets

I found the process of buying tickets very straightforward and simple. The easiest way is to buy them online in advance.

Here are some tips if you buy them in person at the ticket machines: You’re able to use credit cards to pay and can easily switch the language on the machines to English. Do keep in mind though the variations between the Swedish and Danish languages. In Denmark, you’ll see signs at the train stations that say, “Biljetter till Sverige” (Tickets to Sweden). In Sweden, you’ll be taking the train back to “Köpenhamm” (Copenhagen). In Danish, Copenhagen is København so do note the difference in spelling while you’re looking for your train.

I loved my time in Malmö and I’m so glad I decided to make the trip while I was in Copenhagen. I was a bit worried at first about the train as I’m very claustrophobic and the idea of sitting on a train while it was crossing the water through a 16 km. long bridge/tunnel made me pretty anxious. But I assure you, the ride was easy and not scary at all!

Recommended Reading: The Ultimate Guide to Copenhagen

Are you planning a trip to Malmö? Let me know in the comments! And as always, you can find me over on Instagram @ChelseaDinen for more travel tips and photography.