Denmark and Germany have agreed to build a road and rail bridge across the Fehmarn Strait in the western Baltic Sea which will effectively land link the two countries by 2018. But it will also

impact on air traffic between the two countries and ferry services currently operated between Roedby, Denmark, and Puttgarden, Germany. According to a statement by the Danish Ministry of Transport and Energy the bridge will be owned and financed by Denmark, and paid for by tolls from users on the direct route from Hamburg to Copenhagen.

In a statement, Danish Transport Minister Flemming Hansen said: ‘A permanent connection across the Fehmarn Strait will link Scandinavia and the European continent together for the benefit of Europe as well as Denmark and Germany. Quicker and more efficient transport will benefit people and businesses on both sides of the strait.’

Subject to agreement by the German and Danish parliaments, Denmark is to finance the construction of the 19-km (12-mile) bridge between Roedby, on the Danish island of Lolland, and Puttgarden, on the German island of Fehmarn. The Danish Government is to provide a loan guarantee of DK.35bn (E.4.7bn/$6.3bn) in funding, while the German Government says it will invest around E.1.2bn ($1.6bn) on the German side.

Agreement to build the bridge has been a decade in the making and construction is now expected to begin in 2011. With four lanes for cars and two for trains, the bridge is expected to have a major impact on existing sea and air travel between the two countries, with the Scandlines Roedby to Puttgarden ferry service seemingly the most vulnerable casualty.