Tunnels – they’re everywhere right now. Already this year, we reported on the Fehmarnbelt link and plans to connect Europe and Africa by tunnel. Now Norway’s got some mega plans to build what will become the longest and deepest undersea crossing in the world.
The project, called Rogfast, will connect the districts of Randaberg and Bokn via a 26.5km tunnel. The plans are to carve through a layer of rock underneath the water, and the tunnel will have a four-lane design and take around 35 minutes to drive through.
It’s just one part of a huge regeneration of Norway’s 1,094 km highway, which is currently interrupted not five, not six, but seven times by ferry journeys to cross the fjords. Once Rogfast is complete, the 21-hour journey time will be slashed to just 10, according to the Telegraph.
We all know Norway is hardly famous for its glorious weather, and those ferries are often disrupted or delayed when the conditions aren’t good enough for the crossing – something Norwegians won’t have to worry about once the tunnel is open.
All this ambitious building doesn’t come cheap, of course – Norway has said the project’s budget is sitting at around €1.9 billion, 40 percent of which will be provided by the government, the rest funded by a £30 (€36) toll fee to use it.
And if you’re thinking, ‘wait, isn’t there another tunnel being built in Europe which is claiming to be the longest underwater tunnel in the world?’, you’re right.
The Fehmarnbelt link is currently under construction and will eventually connect Denmark and Germany by the Baltic Sea. This tunnel will be stretching across 18km and is earmarked for completion in 2029, but will only hold the record until Rogfast is complete (likely in 2033).
What a tunnel-tastic time to be alive, eh? Have a look at our favourite road trips in Europe and get planning your itinerary.
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