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Øresund Bridge to be closed during Holocaust conference in Malmö

The bridge connecting Danish capital Copenhagen with Swedish city Malmö will be closed in both directions on October 13th due to a Holocaust conference in the latter city.

Published: 11 October 2021 17:14 CEST
Updated: 13 October 2021 08:36 CEST

The Øresund Bridge is likely to face intermittent traffic closures this week.

The Øresund Bridge is likely to face intermittent traffic closures this week. Photo: Christian Liliendahl/Ritzau Scanpix

Øresund Bridge operator Øresundsbron has warned that the connection between Denmark and Sweden faces intermittent closures on Wednesday.

Disruptions are possible throughout Monday-Thursday this week, with Wednesday likely to see the most significant road closures.

The international Holocaust conference in Malmö is expected to be attended by a number of government and state leaders.

Police will therefore be setting roadblocks in several places for security reasons. The Øresund bridge will be among road closures, Øresundsbron said via its website.

The bridge usually sees an average of around 20,000 traffic crossings daily, although that number was significantly reduced in 2020 due to the coronavirus crisis.

The bridge is expected to be closed in both directions for “shorter or longer periods” during October 13th when police request this, the bridge operator writes.

The exact times at which closures occur are not yet set and can be requested by police at short notice. However, most disruptions are expected to occur between 8am-10am and 4:30pm-8pm on October 13th.

However, the entire period from October 11th-14th could be affected by closures.

Updated traffic information can be checked via the Øresundsbron website.

Rail services across the Øresund Bridge are not expected to be affected by the conference.

READ ALSO: What you need to know about Malmö’s Holocaust conference

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What to know if you’re driving from Denmark to Germany this summer

People driving through Germany – not least motorists from Denmark – are likely to experience more traffic and queuing than usual this July.

That is partly a result of additional measures in place during the Euro 2024 football tournament, including border controls.

Passports will be required for travel from Denmark to Germany for the duration of the European football championships, which take place in Germany between June 14th and July 14th, German authorities have previously said. The border controls — which also affect Germany’s other borders — will be in effect until July 19th.

Diversions are in place at some of the Danish road crossings, notably Frøslev, where signage has been set up to redirect drivers.

READ ALSO: Germany to check passports on Danish border during Euros

The border controls are not the only factor affecting traffic, with traffic around host cities for the tournament also heavier.

German motorists’ organisation ADAC recently published a traffic forecast for the summer.

“We expect a high level of traffic density and resulting queues this summer. Traffic has generally increased in recent years, and there is still a lot of road work. That combination inevitably leads to queues,” ADAC spokesperson Katharina Lucà said in a press release produced by Danish energy company OK.

Motorists should be prepared for tailbacks at most of the typically busy hubs, according to ADAC. These include Bremen, Dortmund and Cologne in western Germany. On the A7 Autobahn through the centre of the country – used by many Danes travelling south on holiday and north returning home – congestion is expected at Hamburg, Hanover, Frankfurt and Würzburg.

People driving from Zealand in Denmark are more likely to use the A9 Autobahn, which has better prospects with only the Nuremberg – Munich road likely to see delays.

READ ALSO: Here’s what you need to know about travel in Denmark in the summer of 2024

The map below shows where the congestion is expected.

Graphic: ADAC

ADAC also advises drivers to avoid busy sections on the days when Germany begins its own summer holidays. That includes the weekend of July 12th to 14th in several federal states, when ADAC says queues of up to four hours could occur at the hubs mentioned above.

“It will take a long time to drive through Germany during the day this summer, so allow plenty of time for the journey and take breaks every two hours, especially if there are small children in the car,” Lucà said to OK.

“We also recommend that you don’t drive excessive distances without stopping, so plan an overnight stay if possible,” she added.

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