£6.2 billion underwater road-and-rail tunnel will be the world’s longest, linking Denmark to Germany
Travel time between the two countries will be dramatically reduced, with the current 45-minute ferry crossing shrinking to just seven minutes by train
Denmark to Germany are on the brink of a historic connection—the world’s longest underwater rail and road tunnel. This ambitious project, known as the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link, will span the 18-kilometer-wide Fehmarn Belt in the Baltic Sea, linking the Danish island of Lolland to the German island of Fehmarn.
Danish King Frederik X recently inaugurated the first section of this groundbreaking tunnel, marking a significant step toward connecting southern Denmark and northern Germany. The tunnel aims to enhance transportation efficiency and contribute to the green transition in the sector.
Reduced trip time of Denmark to Germany
The Fehmarnbelt link is expected to open in 2029. Travel time between the two countries will be dramatically reduced, with the current 45-minute ferry crossing shrinking to just seven minutes by train. The tunnel will facilitate direct connections from Roedby, Denmark, to Puttgarten, Germany, providing onward road and rail access to central Europe and the Nordic countries.
The first 217-meter section of the tunnel has been unveiled by King Frederik. Later this year, it will be submerged into a seabed trench on the Danish side. Sund & Baelt, the company behind the project, claims that this will be the world’s longest submersible tunnel. The tunnel will feature an electrified high-speed rail line, allowing trains to reach speeds of up to 200 km/h (125 mph). Cars will also benefit, crossing the Baltic Sea in just 10 minutes on the four-lane road within the tunnel.
The decision to build an immersed tunnel between the Danish island of Lolland and the northern German isle of Fehmarn was made in 2011. Construction began on the Danish side in July 2022, followed by the German side a year later.
Cost and Funding
The Fehmarn link will consist of 89 concrete elements, manufactured at a special facility in Roedbyhavn on Lolland—the largest construction site in North Europe. The estimated cost of the project is 55.1 billion Danish kroner (approximately €4.8 billion). Denmark will finance the tunnel, and users will pay the toll. The Danish government will determine the toll charge at a later stage.
Denmark has been actively improving its transportation network, establishing road-and-rail links with neighboring Sweden and between major Danish islands. The iconic Oresund Bridge, completed in 2000, connects Copenhagen to Sweden’s third-largest city, Malmo. In 1998, road traffic opened between the islands of Funen (home to Odense, Denmark’s third-largest city) and Zealand (where Copenhagen is situated). Train traffic followed a year later.
The Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link represents a remarkable engineering achievement and a pivotal milestone in enhancing regional connectivity and sustainability. As the tunnel nears completion, it promises to revolutionize travel between Denmark and Germany, setting a new global standard for underwater infrastructure.
You might also be interested in – Germany’s intelligence agency warns of Jihadist threat from Afghanistan-based IS offshoot
