Driving to Sweden: every route compared
To Malmö, Puttgarden-Rødby with the Øresund Bridge is fastest, and the overnight ferry from Travemünde means the least driving. To Gothenburg and Stockholm, Helsingør-Helsingborg is shorter than the bridge, and the overnight ferry from Kiel means the least driving.
Every route to Sweden at a glance
From Hamburg there are eight ways to drive to Sweden. The tables set them side by side per destination, with the lowest fare for ferry and tolls, the door-to-door travel time and the distance you drive yourself. Fastest, cheapest and least driving are worked out from those figures.
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Hamburg to Malmö
| Route | Cost | Travel time | Night on board | Best for | Prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Puttgarden-Rødby and the Øresund Bridgeferry 45 min, around the clock | from about £88combination ticketwith fuel about £126 | 5.5 to 6 hrs345 km driving | no | FastestMalmö and Copenhagen | View prices |
| 2 Overland through Jutlandno ferry: Great Belt Bridge and Øresund Bridge | from about £72tollswith fuel about £127 | 6 to 6.5 hrs503 km driving | no | leaving whenever you like | View tolls |
| 3 Rostock-Gedser and the Øresund Bridgeferry about 2 hrs, 8 a day | from about £107combination ticketwith fuel about £148 | about 7 hrs380 km driving | no | Berlin and eastern Germany | View prices |
| 4 Travemünde-MalmöFinnlines, about 9 hrs, up to 3 a day | from about £104by day, car with 2 peoplewith fuel about £114 | about 11 hrs90 km driving | possible, with cabin | Least drivingarriving rested in Malmö | View prices |
| 5 Travemünde or Rostock to TrelleborgTT-Line or Stena Line, 6 to 9 hrs | from about £73Stena Line, 2 people and a carwith fuel about £86 | 10 to 12 hrs119 km driving | possible, with cabin | Cheapestthe lowest fare | View prices |
Hamburg to Gothenburg
| Route | Cost | Travel time | Night on board | Best for | Prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Puttgarden-Rødby and the Øresund Bridgeferry 45 min, around the clock | from about £88combination ticketwith fuel about £155 | 9 to 9.5 hrs617 km driving | no | Malmö and Copenhagen | View prices |
| 2 Overland through Jutlandno ferry: Great Belt Bridge and Øresund Bridge | from about £72tollswith fuel about £156 | 9.5 to 10 hrs775 km driving | no | leaving whenever you like | View tolls |
| 3 Rostock-Gedser and the Øresund Bridgeferry about 2 hrs, 8 a day | from about £107combination ticketwith fuel about £178 | about 10 hrs652 km driving | no | Berlin and eastern Germany | View prices |
| 4 Travemünde-MalmöFinnlines, about 9 hrs, up to 3 a day | from about £104by day, car with 2 peoplewith fuel about £143 | about 14 hrs359 km driving | possible, with cabin | arriving rested in Malmö | View prices |
| 5 Travemünde or Rostock to TrelleborgTT-Line or Stena Line, 6 to 9 hrs | from about £73Stena Line, 2 people and a carwith fuel about £116 | about 14 hrs391 km driving | possible, with cabin | Cheapestthe lowest fare | View prices |
| 6 Kiel-GothenburgStena Line, overnight about 14.5 hrs | from about £277car, 2 adults and cabinwith fuel about £288 | about 17 hrs100 km driving | yes, with cabin | Least drivingGothenburg, the west coast and Norway | View prices |
| 7 Frederikshavn-GothenburgStena Line, about 3.5 hrs, up to 4 a day | from about £95car and driverwith fuel about £151 | 10 to 11 hrs512 km driving | no | a stop in Jutland or Skagen | View prices |
| 8 Puttgarden-Rødby and Helsingør-Helsingborgtwo ferries, 45 and 20 min | from about £86combination ticketwith fuel about £148 | 8.5 to 9 hrs568 km driving | no | FastestGothenburg and Stockholm | View prices |
Hamburg to Stockholm
| Route | Cost | Travel time | Night on board | Best for | Prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Puttgarden-Rødby and the Øresund Bridgeferry 45 min, around the clock | from about £88combination ticketwith fuel about £192 | 13.5 to 14 hrs956 km driving | no | Malmö and Copenhagen | View prices |
| 2 Overland through Jutlandno ferry: Great Belt Bridge and Øresund Bridge | from about £72tollswith fuel about £193 | about 14 hrs1,114 km driving | no | leaving whenever you like | View tolls |
| 3 Rostock-Gedser and the Øresund Bridgeferry about 2 hrs, 8 a day | from about £107combination ticketwith fuel about £215 | about 14 hrs991 km driving | no | Berlin and eastern Germany | View prices |
| 4 Travemünde-MalmöFinnlines, about 9 hrs, up to 3 a day | from about £104by day, car with 2 peoplewith fuel about £180 | about 18 hrs698 km driving | possible, with cabin | arriving rested in Malmö | View prices |
| 5 Travemünde or Rostock to TrelleborgTT-Line or Stena Line, 6 to 9 hrs | from about £73Stena Line, 2 people and a carwith fuel about £153 | about 17.5 hrs731 km driving | possible, with cabin | Cheapestthe lowest fare | View prices |
| 6 Kiel-GothenburgStena Line, overnight about 14.5 hrs | from about £277car, 2 adults and cabinwith fuel about £338 | about 23 hrs564 km driving | yes, with cabin | Least drivingGothenburg, the west coast and Norway | View prices |
| 7 Frederikshavn-GothenburgStena Line, about 3.5 hrs, up to 4 a day | from about £95car and driverwith fuel about £202 | about 15.5 hrs979 km driving | no | a stop in Jutland or Skagen | View prices |
| 8 Puttgarden-Rødby and Helsingør-Helsingborgtwo ferries, 45 and 20 min | from about £86combination ticketwith fuel about £185 | 12.5 to 13 hrs908 km driving | no | FastestGothenburg and Stockholm | View prices |
Fares for one direction. For Finnlines, TT-Line and Stena Line it is the lowest fare for Tuesday 11 May 2027 with 2 adults and a car, checked on 13 October 2026 (Stena Line: car up to 4.7 m). For Scandlines, the bridges and Frederikshavn-Gothenburg it is the from fare of 13 October 2026. Converted from euros at €1 = £0.865 and from kroner at 1 DKK = £0.116. Travel time runs from Hamburg to the destination, with waiting time for the ferry and without breaks; the distance is what you drive yourself (OSRM). Fuel is an assumption: 7 litres per 100 km at £1.56 (€1.80) a litre.
The routes on the map
The numbers on the map are the numbers in the table. The overland route (2) crosses the Great Belt Bridge and the Øresund Bridge.
- Øresund Bridge and Great Belt Bridge
- Ferry
The routes from Hamburg to Sweden, numbered as in the table: 1 Puttgarden-Rødby, 2 overland, 3 Rostock-Gedser, 4 Travemünde-Malmö, 5 to Trelleborg, 6 Kiel-Gothenburg, 7 Frederikshavn-Gothenburg, 8 Helsingør-Helsingborg.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
1. Puttgarden-Rødby and the Øresund Bridge
From Hamburg you drive across Fehmarn to Puttgarden, sail to Rødby in 45 minutes and follow the E47 to Copenhagen and the Øresund Bridge. The ferry sails around the clock, about every half hour. The Scandlines combination ticket covers ferry and bridge together, from about £88 for a car with up to 9 people.
- Pros: the fastest route to Malmö and Copenhagen, and there is nearly always a ferry.
- Cons: you drive the whole way, and on busy summer days you wait at the port.
- Not for you if: you are going to Gothenburg or Stockholm: Helsingør-Helsingborg is shorter than the bridge.
2. Overland through Jutland
Without a ferry you drive via Flensburg and Kolding to Nyborg, over the Great Belt Bridge to Zealand and through Copenhagen onto the Øresund Bridge. You only pay tolls: 205 DKK with BroBizz or number plate payment on the Great Belt and 420 DKK with an online ticket with the newsletter discount for the Øresund Bridge, together about £72. Paying at the toll booths costs 705 DKK, about £82.
- Pros: no timetable and no booking, and no ferry length surcharge for motorhomes.
- Cons: about 160 km more driving to Malmö than via Puttgarden.
- Not for you if: you want to drive as little as possible.
3. Rostock-Gedser and the Øresund Bridge
From Berlin and eastern Germany, Rostock is the obvious port. The ferry to Gedser takes about 2 hrs and sails about eight times a day. You then drive across Falster and Zealand to Copenhagen and the Øresund Bridge. There is a combination ticket with the bridge for this route too, from about £107.
- Pros: a shorter drive from Berlin, and a 2-hour break on board.
- Cons: from Hamburg slower and dearer than via Puttgarden.
- Not for you if: you come from the Netherlands, the UK or western Germany.
4. Travemünde-Malmö
Finnlines sails from Travemünde near Lübeck straight to Malmö in about 9 hrs, up to three times a day. You skip Denmark and pay no bridge toll. On day sailings you need no cabin: on Tuesday 11 May 2027 a car with 2 people costs about £104. At night a cabin is compulsory; the fare is then from about £167, and about £224 on the evening sailing. Motorhomes are welcome, but you may not sleep in them on board.
- Pros: the least driving to Malmö: about 90 km from Hamburg, and no tolls.
- Cons: it takes longer than via Puttgarden, and at night you pay for a cabin (from about £167).
- Not for you if: you have to be in Malmö at a set time and are short of time.
5. Travemünde or Rostock to Trelleborg
TT-Line sails from Travemünde (7 to 9 hrs, four times a day) and from Rostock (6 to 7 hrs) to Trelleborg, and Stena Line sails from Rostock to Trelleborg (about 6 hrs). Trelleborg is 32 km from Malmö. On Tuesday 11 May 2027, 2 people and a car pay about £73 with Stena Line from Rostock, £81 with TT-Line from Rostock and £99 with TT-Line from Travemünde. On night sailings a cabin or reclining seat comes on top.
- Pros: the lowest fare, no bridge toll, and suitable for motorhomes.
- Cons: it takes much longer than via Puttgarden, and at night a cabin comes on top.
- Not for you if: you want to reach Gothenburg or Stockholm the same day.
6. Kiel-Gothenburg
Stena Line sails every evening from Kiel to Gothenburg, leaving at 17:45 and arriving at 09:15. A cabin is compulsory. On Tuesday 11 May 2027 the crossing costs about £277 for a car, 2 adults and a cabin. From Hamburg you drive about 100 km to the ferry.
- Pros: the least driving to Gothenburg and Stockholm, and a night on board instead of a hotel.
- Cons: the highest fare, and one sailing a day.
- Not for you if: you are going to Malmö or Copenhagen.
7. Frederikshavn-Gothenburg
Through Jutland you drive to the northern tip of Denmark and sail with Stena Line to Gothenburg in about 3.5 hrs, up to four times a day. You pay no bridge toll, as the Great Belt and the Øresund Bridge are not on this route. The from fare is about £95 for car and driver.
- Pros: no bridge toll, and easy to combine with a stop in Jutland or Skagen.
- Cons: from Hamburg you drive over 500 km before you board.
- Not for you if: you are going to Malmö or southern Sweden.
8. Puttgarden-Rødby and Helsingør-Helsingborg
To Gothenburg and Stockholm you do not need the Øresund Bridge. You take the Puttgarden-Rødby ferry, drive to Helsingør and cross to Helsingborg in 20 minutes. That saves about 50 km. Scandlines sells both ferries together in one combination ticket, from about £86.
- Pros: shorter and cheaper than the bridge to Gothenburg and Stockholm, and the Helsingør-Helsingborg ferry sails every 20 minutes.
- Cons: you board twice.
- Not for you if: you are going to Malmö: the Øresund Bridge is shorter.
Which route should you choose?
To Malmö
- The fastest is Puttgarden-Rødby with the combination ticket: 5.5 to 6 hrs from Hamburg.
- The least driving is the Travemünde-Malmö ferry: about 90 km from Hamburg.
- The lowest fare is Stena Line from Rostock to Trelleborg: about £73 for 2 people and a car on 11 May 2027. It takes much longer than via Puttgarden, though.
To Gothenburg
- Here the Øresund Bridge is not the best choice. Via Helsingør-Helsingborg you drive about 50 km less, and the combination ticket is cheaper (from about £86).
- If you want to drive as little as possible, take the Kiel-Gothenburg overnight ferry and arrive in the morning.
- Frederikshavn-Gothenburg suits you if you stay a few days in Jutland on the way.
To Stockholm
- The fastest is via Helsingør-Helsingborg: 12.5 to 13 hrs from Hamburg. That is a long day, so plan an overnight stop.
- With Kiel-Gothenburg or an overnight ferry to Trelleborg you split the drive over two days, with the night on board.
Frequently asked questions about the routes to Sweden
Is there a ferry from the UK to Sweden?
No. The last ferry from the UK to Sweden, Newcastle-Gothenburg, stopped in 2006. You drive through the Netherlands or France to Hamburg and take one of the routes on this page.
Does the Sassnitz-Trelleborg ferry still sail?
No. Stena Line closed the route in 2020. From Rostock you can still sail to Trelleborg, with TT-Line or Stena Line.
Can I still take the ferry from Grenaa to Halmstad?
No. Stena Line stopped that route on 30 April 2026. To the Swedish west coast you now sail from Frederikshavn or Kiel to Gothenburg.
When will the Fehmarnbelt tunnel open?
Not before 2032. According to Ritzau and Børsen (May 2026), cars can use it in 2032 at the earliest; Femern gave no year in its press release of 17 May 2026. Until then you take the ferry from Puttgarden to Rødby.
Are there border checks on the way to Sweden?
Yes. Sweden has temporary checks at its internal borders, at least until 11 November 2026, and Denmark checks at the border with Germany, including at the ferries. Bring your passport and keep it ready at the toll station or the port.
What do the tolls cost with a motorhome or trailer?
Over 6 metres you pay more on both bridges. On the Øresund Bridge a car with a caravan up to 15 metres costs 940 DKK (£109), on the Great Belt 314 DKK (£36) with BroBizz or number plate payment. Finnlines and TT-Line have their own motorhome fares.
Do I need to book the ferry in advance?
Not for Puttgarden-Rødby or Helsingør-Helsingborg, but the lowest fare is only online for a set departure. Book the overnight ferries (Finnlines, Kiel-Gothenburg) and TT-Line in advance, especially with a cabin or a motorhome.
Prices checked on 13 October 2026
