One of Europe's most ambitious infrastructure projects is taking shape beneath the Baltic Sea, where a massive tunnel will eventually connect Denmark and Germany. The 11-mile Fehmarnbelt tunnel promises faster journeys and a new link between Scandinavia and central Europe, reports the BBC. More than that, though: When it opens in 2029, the tunnel will "redraw the road and rail maps of all Europe," per CNN. The Fehmarnbelt will have a pair of two-lane roads for vehicles in both directions, two electrified rail lines, and a fifth lane for emergencies and maintenance—all beneath a busy world shipping lane.
The famed Chunnel is longer at 18 miles, but this project will enter the record books on two fronts: as the world's longest prefabricated road and rail tunnel, and as the longest "immersed" tunnel. CNN explains the latter point: Fehmarnbelt "is made using prefabricated concrete sections which are dropped into a trench dug on the seafloor, linked together, and then buried." This video provides a sense of how it's being built.
- Shorter journeys: The tunnel will allow travel between Rodbyhavn, Denmark, and Puttgarten, Germany, in 10 minutes by car or seven minutes by train. The current ferry ride takes 45 minutes. The new rail route also will cut travel time between Copenhagen and Hamburg from five hours to 2.5 hours.
- Busy traffic: Over 100 trains and 12,000 cars are expected to use the tunnel each day.
- Money: The $8.1 billion project is financed mainly by Denmark, though with help from the European Commission. Revenue from tolls is expected to repay state-backed loans in about four decades.
- Tourism boost: The tunnel is expected to boost business and tourism, especially in Lolland, one of Denmark's poorest regions.
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