HH-Fixed Link – Helsingborg – Elsinore
Next fixed link between Denmark and Sweden
More than two decades after the opening of the Øresund Bridge, a new strategic infrastructure project is emerging in the northern part of the strait: the fixed HH connection between Helsingør and Helsingborg.
Located at the narrowest point of Øresund, the corridor offers the most natural opportunity to expand cross-border integration between Denmark and Sweden. Today, the route is primarily served by ferries, but increasing demand for transport, combined with capacity constraints and vulnerability in the current system, has renewed the need for a permanent link.
The proposed HH connection consists of a tunnel for both road and rail traffic, designed to integrate with existing transport networks on both sides. By reducing travel times between Helsingborg and Copenhagen by approximately 40 minutes, the connection would significantly improve accessibility and enable faster, more reliable journeys across the region.
One of the project’s most important benefits is its impact on the labour market. The Øresund region is home to 4.5 million people and 2.3 million jobs, yet there are clear imbalances between labour supply and demand on each side of the strait. A fixed HH connection would expand commuting opportunities, improve skills matching, and strengthen one of Northern Europe’s most dynamic economic regions.
The project also plays a critical role in strengthening resilience. Today, the Øresund Bridge is the only fixed link between the two countries. A second connection would add necessary redundancy, reduce vulnerability in the transport system, and ensure more robust flows of goods and people – particularly important in times of disruption or crisis.
In a broader perspective, the HH connection supports the development of a key European transport corridor linking Scandinavia with continental Europe. Together with the Fehmarn Belt link, it contributes to a more integrated and competitive region stretching from Hamburg to Oslo.
Financially, the project is designed to be self-financing through user fees, following the model of the Øresund Bridge, with an estimated repayment period of approximately ≈ 30 years.
The HH connection is more than infrastructure – it is a long-term investment in mobility, resilience, and sustainable regional growth, with the potential to reshape how people live, work, and connect in the Øresund region.