What is the longest underwater tunnel in world?

The longest underwater tunnel in the world is 18 kilometers long and around 40 meters below sea level

The longest underwater tunnel in the world is 18 kilometers long and 40 meters below sea level
The longest underwater tunnel in the world is 18 kilometers long and 40 meters below sea level

The Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link is the longest and deepest underwater tunnel in the world, which connects Germany with Denmark.

According to Greek News, the 18-kilometer Fehmarn Belt is currently under the process of construction, but once completed, it would have both road and rail tracks that would transform traveling between Scandinavia and Central Europe.

With a €10 billion investment, backed by the European Commission's Ten-T Programme, the project aims to make Europe more connected and sustainable.

The tunnel would have two highways with two lanes each. Two lanes would be for the cars, and the other two would be for the rail tracks. These two highways will be divided by a central service passage.

Moreover, after completion, the tunnel will significantly reduce travel time, strengthen regional connections, increase train transportation, and become an environment-friendly route of transportation.

The technical director at Jens Ole Kaslund, Femern A/S, the state-owned Danish company in charge of the project, said, “Today if you were to take a train trip from Copenhagen to Hamburg, it would take you around four and a half hours. When the tunnel will be completed, the same journey will take two and a half hours.”

Furthermore, the Femern A/S project planning began in 2008, and after 12 years of preparation, the groundbreaking ceremony in Denmark took place in 2020 and a year later in 2021 in Germany.

The portal building construction on both the Danish and German sides begins in 2022, and it is expected that the Danish side will be completed by 2024 while the German side construction will be closed by 2025.

The permanent dike will be finished in 2024 springs, and the testing, safety approval, and opening are expected in 2029.