Denmark to Germany tunnel moves forward

11 mile crossing between two European countries will be longest in the world

The Danish parliament has passed legislation to enable the construction of a £6.25 billion tunnel between Denmark and Germany.

The Fehmarnbelt fixed link will run between the Danish island of Lolland and the German island of  Fehmarn. Bridges on the islands will then link to the mainlands of both countries.



The tunnel, which will carry both road and rail traffic, will dramatically reduce the time it takes to travel by land from Sweden, Norway and Denmark to the continent. For example travel time by train between Copenhagen and Hamburg will be reduced by around 2.5 hours.

Construction on the project could start before the end of the year and is planned to complete by 2025. The state-owned company Femern is already negotiating with firms for the major construction contracts.

The project also includes the upgrading of railway lines to allow for the running of 125mph high speed trains.

The tunnel will be prefabricated in 710ft long sections and immersed via trench that will be dredged. The sections comprise two rail tunnels and two three-lane roads.

During a visit to Femern last year, Pat Cox, the European Commission's coordinator for the transport corridor between  Scandinavia and the Mediterranean, said: “The Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link is one of the most important infrastructure projects in Europe. Efficient transport connections are essential for the competitiveness of European businesses in a global economy. The Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link will thus not only be a great benefit to Denmark and Germany but to all of Europe.”

The EU Commission has given the Fehmarnbelt project around £96 million for the design and planning of the tunnel.

German political approval for the link was given in 2009 as part of a treaty between Germany and Denmark, but the project still needs local approval in the Schleswig-Holstein region of Germany.