For most of southern Sweden, Copenhagen Airport is the practical international airport, and the train is the transfer. What trips people up is buying the right ticket before boarding, the ID check waiting in Sweden, and what happens after a midnight landing.
When you need this
You’ve booked, or are pricing, a flight into Copenhagen (Kastrup, CPH) with a destination in Skåne or elsewhere in southern Sweden. Maybe you’ve just collected your bags and need a ticket and a platform. Maybe your flight lands after midnight, or you’re weighing the train against a taxi or a one-way rental car. Or you’re heading on to Gothenburg, Kalmar, Karlskrona or Stockholm.
The train from Terminal 3
The airport’s railway station is directly under Terminal 3, and trains run from there to Malmö, about 20 minutes away. They are Öresundståg (the Öresund trains), the regional trains of southern Sweden. VR Sverige has run them since 14 December 2025, so a guide that names Transdev or SJ as the operator is out of date.
Beyond Malmö, four lines continue into Sweden:
| Line | Via | End point |
|---|---|---|
| Lund line | Malmö | Lund |
| West coast | Helsingborg, Halmstad | Gothenburg |
| Småland | Hässleholm, Växjö | Kalmar |
| Blekinge | Kristianstad, Karlshamn | Karlskrona |
Luggage is free. Stow it under or between the seats or on the shelves, and bring only what you can carry yourself. A bicycle across the bridge needs its own bike ticket, which is valid to and from Østerport.
Which ticket to buy
No tickets are sold on board, so buy yours in the station before you go down to the platform. You can buy from the Swedish side or the Danish side.
| Ticket | Where to buy | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Skånetrafiken single ticket | Skånetrafiken app, or its machines at the airport | Your trip into Sweden, plus Copenhagen’s metro, S-trains and buses in zones 1, 3 and 4 until midnight |
| Tourist Ticket Öresund | Skånetrafiken app | 48 hours from activation, all of Skåne plus the Danish side of the sound |
| DSB Øresund Ticket | DSB ticket machine or the 7-Eleven at the station | Greater Copenhagen to any station in Skåne, Halland, Blekinge, Västra Götaland or Kalmar County |
| Rejsekort | Check in and out | Only as far as Malmö C, Hyllie or Triangeln |
Two details save money and stress. A Skånetrafiken ticket from CPH Airport is valid on any Öresundståg on the same line within three hours before or after its stated departure, so a delayed flight doesn’t cost you the ticket. And if you plan a day in Copenhagen first, the same single ticket already covers the central zones until midnight.
App tickets must be activated before you board. A paper ticket from a machine is activated when you buy it. Children aged 7–15 travel at half price on single and 24-hour tickets to Denmark, and two children under 7 travel free with an adult. Two or more people buying one joint ticket get 20% off.
The ID check at Hyllie
Sweden runs temporary internal border controls, under a government decision covering 12 May to 11 November 2026. Police check train passengers at Hyllie, the first station in Sweden, either on the platform or on board while the train waits there. The operator prints the reminder on its timetables: Medtag giltig ID-handling (bring valid ID).
What to carry:
- EU/EEA citizens: a valid passport or national ID card. A driving licence is not a travel document.
- Nordic citizens: a Nordic driving licence is usually accepted, but a passport is recommended.
- Non-EU visitors: a passport no older than 10 years and valid at least three months beyond your planned departure.
- Children: Nordic children traveling with a guardian who holds valid documents don’t, in practice, need their own ID. Children of other nationalities should carry their own.
The most common mistake is packing the passport in the checked suitcase: the check comes about 20 minutes after you board, not at the airport. Without an accepted document you can be refused entry and taken off the train.
This is an identity check, not a passport stamp and not an EES registration. The Öresund is an internal Schengen border. If you flew into Copenhagen from outside Schengen, your external-border control happened in the terminal. For non-EU visitors, the EES biometric registration happened there too. See how EES border checks work and the full passport and ID rules for Sweden.
Whether checks continue after 11 November 2026 depends on a new government decision. Recheck if you travel after that date.
Landing late at night
Trains toward Malmö and Lund run through the night. The current timetable (valid 14 December 2025 to 12 December 2026) shows departures from CPH Airport roughly once an hour between about 1 and 5 a.m., against every 15 minutes or so in the daytime.
The long direct runs deeper into Sweden are a daytime service. If you land late with a destination beyond Skåne, plan on a night in Malmö and an early train on. Check the night timetable before you book a late flight, not after you land.
Going beyond Malmö
To Gothenburg, Kalmar and Karlskrona there are direct Öresundståg trains from the airport. The Gothenburg line has run on three different timetables during 2026, and the operator warns that rail work can change trips at short notice, so check the current timetable on Öresundståg’s own site.
Stockholm is the exception. SJ’s direct high-speed trains between Stockholm and Copenhagen have been suspended since June 2025. SJ has said it will restart them in autumn 2026 with a couple of departures a day, growing from the December timetable. Until SJ’s own timetable shows them, take Öresundståg to Malmö C and change there to a long-distance train. The alternative for Stockholm is to fly to Arlanda. Every route into Sweden compares the options.
Taxi or rental car instead
A taxi across the bridge is possible, but it has to cover the distance and the Öresund Bridge toll, while the train takes about 20 minutes. If you do take one, agree the price before setting off. A taxi still passes the Swedish ID check, at the Lernacken toll station. Once you’re in Sweden, taxis set their own prices, with no ceiling. Read the jämförpris (comparison price) on the window before you get in; taxis in Sweden explains how.
A rental car picked up at Kastrup and returned in Sweden is a one-way, cross-border hire. Compare the drop-off fee before booking. You pay the bridge toll and pass the police check at Lernacken, and in winter the car must meet Swedish winter-tyre rules, which apply to foreign vehicles too. See renting a car in Sweden.
Practical information
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Station | Under Terminal 3, Copenhagen Airport |
| Journey time to Malmö | About 20 minutes |
| Operator | Öresundståg, run by VR Sverige since 14 December 2025 |
| Daytime frequency | About every 15 minutes toward Malmö and Lund |
| Night frequency | Roughly hourly between about 1 and 5 a.m. (timetable valid to 12 December 2026) |
| Tickets | Skånetrafiken app or airport machines; DSB Øresund Ticket; none on board |
| Fares | Zone- and distance-based; check in the Skånetrafiken app or with DSB |
| ID check | Hyllie, the first Swedish station; decision in force to 11 November 2026 |
| Luggage | Free; what you can carry yourself |
FAQ
How do I get from Copenhagen Airport to Sweden?
Take the Öresundståg regional train from the station under Terminal 3. It reaches Malmö in about 20 minutes and continues on direct lines to Lund, Gothenburg, Kalmar and Karlskrona. Buy a ticket before you board — in the Skånetrafiken app, at a machine in the station, or as a DSB Øresund Ticket — and keep your passport handy for Hyllie.
Which ticket do I need from Copenhagen Airport to Malmö?
Either a Skånetrafiken ticket, bought in its app or at its machines in the airport station, or DSB’s Øresund Ticket from a DSB machine or the station’s 7-Eleven. Tickets are not sold on board. A Skånetrafiken single ticket is valid on any Öresundståg within three hours of its stated departure and covers Copenhagen’s central zones that day.
Is there a passport check on the train from Copenhagen to Malmö?
Yes. Sweden’s temporary internal border control runs from 12 May to 11 November 2026, and police check train passengers at Hyllie, the first Swedish station, on the platform or on board. Carry a passport or national ID card; non-EU visitors need a passport. It is an ID check, not an EES registration.
Do trains run from Copenhagen Airport to Malmö at night?
Yes. The current timetable shows trains toward Malmö and Lund through the night, roughly once an hour between about 1 and 5 a.m., against every 15 minutes or so in the daytime. Direct trains farther into Sweden are a daytime service, so a destination beyond Skåne after a late landing may mean a night in Malmö.
Can I use a Rejsekort to travel to Sweden?
Only as far as Malmö C, Hyllie or Triangeln, where you check out. For Lund, Gothenburg or any other Swedish station you need a Skånetrafiken ticket or DSB’s Øresund Ticket, which covers stations in Skåne, Halland, Blekinge, Västra Götaland and Kalmar County. Buy it before boarding, because none are sold on the train.
Is there a direct train from Copenhagen Airport to Stockholm?
Not dependably at present. SJ suspended its direct Stockholm–Copenhagen high-speed trains in 2025 and said it would restart them in autumn 2026 with a few departures a day, growing from December. Until SJ’s own timetable shows them, take Öresundståg to Malmö C and change to a long-distance train, or fly to Arlanda instead.
Should I take a taxi from Copenhagen Airport to Malmö?
Usually not. A taxi across the bridge has to cover the distance and the bridge toll, while the train reaches Malmö in about 20 minutes from under Terminal 3. If you do take one, agree the price before setting off. A taxi still crosses the Swedish ID check, at the Lernacken toll station.
Related guides
- Every route into Sweden compared: Copenhagen against Arlanda, Landvetter, ferries and night trains
- The Öresund Bridge: the toll and road check if you drive across instead
- Passport and ID rules for Sweden: what the Hyllie check accepts, in depth
- Public transport in Skåne: getting around once you’re off the train
- Malmö: where most arrivals from Kastrup land first
Facts verified 2026-09-24. Sources: Öresundståg, VR Sverige, Skånetrafiken, DSB, Copenhagen Airport, Regeringen, Polismyndigheten, Öresunddirekt, the European Commission, Øresundsbron, Transportstyrelsen, and trade reporting on SJ — full register in this topic’s source file. Border controls are decided to 11 November 2026; the timetable quoted runs to 12 December 2026. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.