Plans in for incredible longest and deepest tunnel in the world, costing £37 billion and slashing 21-hour trips in half

11 December 2024, 10:07 | Updated: 11 December 2024, 11:04

The world’s deepest and longest road tunnel is being built in Norway.

The tunnel will cut the 21 hour journey across Norway in half.

Dubbed as the Rogfast tunnel, it will connect the country’s coasts – separated by fjords that are hard to cross.

The stretches of ocean are exceptionally deep, with most fjords 400m deep.

The tunnel will connect the city of Stavanger in the south, to the northern city of Bergen.

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It will also link half a dozen cities across the Scandinavian country.

Currently, residents have to take multiple ferries in waterways busy with shipping vessels and cruise liners – at seven points along the coast.

Norway, which has just 5 million residents, will spend $47 billion (£36 billion) on the mega-project.

Building the tunnel is likely to take seven years.

Bergen is important for Norway’s fishing industry, while Stavanger is a major North Sea oil centre.

The existing E39 motorway, which remains above ground, will be widened as part of the project.

The country have toyed with other crossing options over the years.

Those include a record-length suspension bridge, or a floating tunnel, anchored to the seabed.