At present, the journey from mainland Europe to Copenhagen is not a short one. There are two options: Either the long route through Schleswig-Holstein and across Jutland or the ferry from Puttgarden to Rodby. But the journey will soon be much easier.
Since January 2021, a tunnel has been under construction under the 18-kilometre-wide Fehmarnbelt in the Baltic Sea to connect the Danish islands with Germany. Once the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link, as it is officially called, is completed, it will be the longest underwater multi-purpose tunnel in the world. And apart from this small detail, it will significantly shorten travel times from mainland Europe to any point in Denmark – and the whole of Scandinavia.
The world’s longest underwater road and rail tunnel
With a length of around 18 kilometers, the Fehmarn Tunnel may not be as impressive as other underwater giants – such as the 37.9-kilometer-long Channel Tunnel – but it is still a record-breaker. It is the longest tunnel built for both cars and trains to travel underwater, far surpassing the Drogden Tunnel: this section of the Öresund link, which runs from Denmark to Sweden, is “only” 3,520 meters long.
In addition, the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link will consist of a four-lane highway and two electrified railroad lines. In some places, it will have a total diameter of 217 meters and, like the Drogden Tunnel, will be designed with two road tubes, an emergency tube and two rail tubes. While cars will be able to travel at a maximum speed of 100 km/h, the electric trains will be able to travel at speeds of up to 200 km/h. According to current plans, one passenger train and two freight trains will travel in each direction every hour. The tunnel will run on the same route as the ferries, between Puttgarden in Fehmarn and Rodby in Lolland.
As already mentioned, travel times will be considerably shorter once the construction work is complete. At present, the ferry journey between Lolland and Fehmarn takes 45 minutes – in good weather. However, cars driving through the tunnel will cover the 18-kilometer route in just 10 minutes, and rail passengers in just seven!
And things look even better for longer journeys: The Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link will cut the train journey from Hamburg to Copenhagen from four hours and 58 minutes to three hours and 15 minutes. It will also avoid the delays and cancellations of ferries due to bad weather.
This underwater tunnel will be built in segments that will be manufactured elsewhere and floated to the tunnel construction site. There they will be sunk and then joined together. The construction project has a budget of over 5.5 billion euros and is being financed by the Danish and German states as well as the European Union. Construction work is scheduled for completion in 2029.