List of tunnels in the Faroe Islands

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Location map of the tunnels

The list of tunnels in the Faroe Islands names the tunnels chronologically according to the year they were opened. A total of 17 road tunnels are in operation.

While the first tunnels were single-lane, unventilated and unlit mountain tunnels, ambitious, ultra-modern submarine tunnels are being built today. The aim of this more than 40 years of constant activity is not only to connect the metropolitan areas with one another, but also to protect small villages from depopulation . In the latter case, there are still mostly unlit single-lane tunnels with alternative bays.

The approximately 51,400 Faroese live in isolation in the North Atlantic . The road network of the islands comprises around 500 kilometers of country roads on 1,400 square kilometers. In 2003 around 24,000 motor vehicles were registered, including 17,000 cars in roughly the same number of private households. A biltúrur (car tour ) is a popular pastime for many islanders.

Regional development from the 1960s to the present day

Suðuroy

It all started in 1963 with the tunnel on the southern island of Suðuroy for the road from the main town of Tvøroyri to Hvalba in the north. This road was completed in 1969 with a second tunnel to Sandvík , while coastal roads and mountain passes led to the south of the island. That changed in 1997 when the tunnel to Sumba , the southernmost town in the country, was opened. There were considerable delays due to water penetrating the porous rock. Norwegian experts had to be brought in. The tunnel was only finished after ten years.

On January 23, 2006, the first blast was triggered for the fourth tunnel on the South Island, which shortens the travel time between the two cities of Tvøroyri and Vágur via Øravík and Hov and provides more safety. The tunnel was put into operation on October 20, 2007. It is illuminated and is the first Faroese tunnel to offer radio reception everywhere.

North islands

Entrance to the Hvannasundstunnilin (Hvannasundtunnel) at Norðdepil on the island Borðoy.

On the six extremely mountainous northern islands , the first tunnel was inaugurated in 1965, which is part of the road from Klaksvík on Borðoy to Viðareiði on Viðoy . The first section leads to Árnafjørður , where the road only briefly comes into daylight. There it leads in another tunnel, which made the way to Hvannasund possible in 1967 and which was completed by a road embankment between the two islands.

In order to save the less inhabited islands of Kalsoy and Kunoy from the threat of depopulation, all places were connected to one another in the 1980s. While there is a road embankment to Borðoy from Kunoy (where only Haraldssund and Kunoy village had to be connected by a tunnel), Kalsoy is still connected to Klaksvík by a ferry. Since then, five tunnels have given the elongated island the nickname recorder . They connect Húsar , Mikladalur and Trøllanes .

On April 29, 2006 (three months earlier than originally assumed) the Norðoyatunnilin was opened, which is the second longest and second submarine Faroese tunnel with over six kilometers. The ferry to Leirvík was thus superfluous.

Eysturoy

In 1976 the first two-lane tunnel in the Faroe Islands was built. It is part of road 10 from Tórshavn to the north of Streymoy , over the bridge on Sundini to the east island of Eysturoy and on to the urban center on Skálafjørður . The tunnel itself starts right behind the bridge at Norðskáli . The tunnel has now been modernized and now has light and radio reception.

In 1985 the tunnel from Gøta to Leirvík followed , which shortens the previous coastal road to this important ferry port.

The Norðoyatunnilin has been connecting Leirvík with the fishing metropolis of Klaksvík since 2006 .

On December 19, 2020, the eleven kilometer long submarine Eysturoyartunnilin went into operation. The tunnel entrances are in Hvítanes on Streymoy and on both sides of Skálafjørður in Strendur and Saltnes / Runavík on Eysturoy. The two largest urban centers - Tórshavn and Skálafjørður - are only a few kilometers away by car.

Streymoy

In 1977 the first tunnel was inaugurated on the main island of Streymoy . This tunnel ( Leynatunnilin ) bypasses the narrow embankment road on Leynavatn and thus simplified the journey from Kollafjørður to Leynar . This also made the connection from Tórshavn to Vestmanna more convenient.

The Oyggjarvegur between Tórshavn and Kollafjørður

Until 1992, however, the route from the capital to the north continued via main road 10, the so-called Oyggjarvegur ("Inselweg"). This forms a mountain road between Tórshavn and Kollafjørður, which is often shrouded in fog and therefore dangerous. Since a tunnel from Kaldbaksbotnur to Signabøur at the foot of Sornfelli was drilled through the mountain and opened to traffic in 1992 when Kollfjarðartunnilin , this problem no longer exists. Travel from Tórshavn to the north now flows via Hvítanes along the east coast.

A permanent road connection from Streymoy to Vágar was to begin as early as 1989 . Financial difficulties did not make the Vágatunnilin a reality until 2002. For Faroese standards, it is a tunnel of superlatives: the first tunnel under the sea between two islands, at the same time the longest and most expensive tunnel and the first tunnel to be refinanced by toll . However, the toll is no higher than the previous ferry price. The journey to Vágar Airport is shortened by an hour. At the same time, Vágar has enjoyed increased visitor numbers since then.

In 2005 a feasibility study was submitted for the Sandoyartunnilin , which will connect Streymoy to the southern region of Sandoy in the future . This would become the longest road tunnel under the sea.

Vágar

During the British occupation of the Faroe Islands in World War II , Vágar Airport was built, as well as a road that connects all the major towns and leads to Oyrargjógv in the east, where the ferry to Streymoy. With the Vágatunnilin from 2002, this ferry belongs to history.

However, one village was not connected: Gásadalur in the far west of the island. According to a Danish documentary film, this isolated place was 1,700 meters from the future . In the meantime the place has been supplied by helicopter. He might have been abandoned entirely. It was only about twelve residents, but the Faroese state made it possible for these compatriots to connect to the outside world with the Gásadalstunnilin , which was completed in 2004. Until December 21, 2006, it could only be opened with a key, which was essentially reserved for the villagers. The official release for traffic took place on December 21, 2006.

This means that all parts of the Faroe Islands are connected by roads.

Sandoy

As early as 1916, the first country road was built on the relatively flat sand island of Sandoy . It connects Skopun in the north with the capital Sandur in the south. All other roads to the towns of Sandoy did not require a tunnel. A steady decline in population in this smallest region of the Faroe Islands has been observed there for a long time. The long-debated Sandoyartunnilin , which is expected to be completed in 2023, could possibly stop the population decline. The fixed link to the capital region would allow commuters to work in Tórshavn and live on Sandoy.

Planning

While the latter, about twelve kilometers long Sandoyartunnilin, is expected to be completed in 2023, there are plans to continue the connection to the island of Suðuroy, about 30 kilometers from Sandoy. If these are implemented (possibly around 2030), there will be a direct drive by car from the northernmost town Viðareiði to the southernmost town Sumba - through at least twelve tunnels in a straight line of about 120 kilometers.

Eight of the 17 inhabited islands in the Faroe Islands may have to wait longer or never get a submarine tunnel connection:

List of tunnels

This list shows 20 existing and three planned or under construction tunnels in chronological order, starting with the oldest tunnel:

Note on technical equipment
Denmark road sign A39.svg= tunnel under construction
Denmark road sign A18.svg= two-lane tunnel / Denmark road sign B18.svg= single-lane with passing points
L / L | T / T | R / R = lighting, telephone, radio reception available / not available
Sign 102 - crossing or junction with right of way from the right, StVO 1970.svg= level crossing in the tunnel / Sign 215 - roundabout, StVO 2000.svg= roundabout in the tunnel
Waterbody.svg= undersea
Sign 391 - toll route, StVO 2003.svg= chargeable

construction time Faroe. Surname length Width /
height
Overlap /
max. Slope
Sea level
portals
technology Island comment
1961-1963 Hvalbiartunnilin 1450 m 3.2 m
3.3 m
? m
5.6%
150.0 m [N]
227.0 m [S]
Denmark road sign B18.svg| L | T | R. Suðuroy 1. The Faroe Islands Hvalba - Tvøroyri Tunnel
1964-1965 Árnafjarðartunnilin 1680 m 2.8 m
3.1 m
380 m
0.5%
75.0 m [W]
83.5 m [E]
Denmark road sign B18.svg| L | T | R. Borðoy Klaksvík - Árnafjørður
1966-1967 Hvannasundstunnilin 2120 m 2.8 m
3.1 m
485 m
0.5%
94.5 m [N]
84.0 m [S]
Denmark road sign B18.svg| L | T | R. Borðoy direct continuation of Árnafjarðartunnilin– Hvannasund
1967-1969 Sandvíkartunnilin 1500 m 3.3 m
3.2 m
224 m
1.45%
104.8 m [N]
73.6 m [S]
Denmark road sign B18.svg| L | T | R. Suðuroy Sandvík - Hvalba
1973-1976 Norðskálatunnilin 2520 m 7.0 m
4.5 m
245 m
2.3%
192.2 m [W]
134.7 m [E]
Denmark road sign A18.svg| L | T | R. Eysturoy shortens the connection between Norðskáli and the communities on Skálafjørður
1975-1977 Leynatunnilin 760 m 7.0 m
4.5 m
155 m
1.35%
71.3 m [W]
81.4 m [E]
Denmark road sign A18.svg| L | T | R. Streymoy triggers a narrow road on shore Leynavatn from
1978-1979 Villingadalstunnilin 1193 m 3.0 m
3.4 m
128 m
8.1%
118.6 m [N]
49.5 m [S]
Denmark road sign B18.svg| L | T | R. Kalsoy Húsar - Mikladalur ; 1. Tunnel of the "recorder"
1979-1980 Longitudinal tunnelin 683 m 3.0 m
3.8 m
255 m
7.5%
162.7 m [N]
116.5 m [S]
Denmark road sign B18.svg| L | T | R. Kalsoy Húsar – Mikladalur; 2. Tunnel of the "recorder"
1980 Mikladalstunnilin 1082 m 3.0 m
3.7 m
240 m
2.8%
173.1 m [N]
143.4 m [S]
Denmark road sign B18.svg| L | T | R. Kalsoy Húsar – Mikladalur; 3. Tunnel of the "recorder"
1983-1985 Trøllanestunnilin 2248 m 3.0 m
3.5 m
365 m
1.6%
185.0 m [N]
149.0 m [S]
Denmark road sign B18.svg| L | T | R.
Sign 102 - crossing or junction with right of way from the right, StVO 1970.svg
Kalsoy Mikladalur – Trøllanes; 4. Tunnel of the “recorder”; later construction of a side tunnel
1985 Teymur í Djúpadal 220 m 3.0 m
3.5 m
? m
0.8%
163.2 m [X]
161.4 m [O]
Denmark road sign B18.svg| L | T | R.
Sign 102 - crossing or junction with right of way from the right, StVO 1970.svg
Kalsoy Trøllanestunnilin – uninhabited Djúpidalur valley
1983-1985 Leirvíkartunnilin 2238 m 7.0 m
4.6 m
442 m
1.5%
53.4 m [W]
20.4 m [E]
Denmark road sign A18.svg| L | T | R. Eysturoy Gøta - Leirvík replaces a very narrow, dangerous coastal road
1985-1988 Kunoyartunnilin 3031 m 3.5 m
4.3 m
700 m
1.4%
54.9 m [W]
12.2 m [E]
Denmark road sign B18.svg| L | T | R. Kunoy With 700 m the largest overburden of all tunnels in the Faroe Islands Kunoy - Haraldssund ; Continuation to the road embankment to Borðoy
1987-1992 Kollfjardartunnilin 2816 m 7.0 m
4.6 m
292 m
1.2%
73.5 m [N]
48.6 m [S]
Denmark road sign A18.svg| L | T | R. Streymoy Kollafjørður –Tórshavn; replaces the mountain road from Tórshavn to the north
1986-1997 Sumbiartunnilin 3240 m 5.50 m
4.30 m
300 m
1.4%
54.8 m [N]
102.6 m [S]
Denmark road sign A18.svg| L | T | R. Suðuroy Lopra - sumba ; replaces 10 km mountain pass; southernmost tunnel in the Faroe Islands
1988-2002 Vágatunnilin 4940 m 7.0 m
4.6 m
145 m
6.%
11.1 m [W]
43.5 m [E]
Denmark road sign A18.svg| L | T | R.
Waterbody.svg Sign 391 - toll route, StVO 2003.svg
Vágar - Streymoy Sandavágur –Leynar; 1. Underwater tunnel and 1. Chargeable tunnel in the Faroe Islands; connects the airport island with the main islands; replaces ferry
2003-2006 Norðoyatunnilin 6300 m 7.0 m
4.6 m
? m
5.9%
10.0 m [W]
19.5 m [E]
Denmark road sign A18.svg| L | T | R.
Waterbody.svg Sign 391 - toll route, StVO 2003.svg
Eysturoy – Borðoy Leirvík – Klaksvík; connects the North Islands with the rest of the country; replaces ferry
2000-2003 / 06 Gásadalstunnilin 1400 m 3.5 m
4.6 m
317 m
6.0%
143.6 m [W]
140.7 m [E]
Denmark road sign B18.svg| L | T | R. Vágar Bøur - Gásadalur ; connects one of the most isolated spots in Europe with the outside world
2005-2007 Hovstunnilin 2435 m 7.0 m
4.6 m
? m
1.2%
28 m [N]
50 m [S]
Denmark road sign A18.svg| L | T | R. Suðuroy Øravík - Hov ; replaced a nine-kilometer single-lane mountain pass path
2014-2016 Viðareiðistunnilin 1939 m 7.0 m
4.6 m
520 m
3.5%
80.2 m [N]
40.5 m [S]
Denmark road sign A18.svg| L | T | R. Viðoy Viðareiði (Miðdalur) - Hvannasund ; northernmost tunnel in the Faroe Islands
2016-2020 Eysturoyartunnilin 11,238 m 7.0 m
4.6 m
189 m
5%
 m [N]
 m [S]
Denmark road sign A18.svg| L | T | R.
Sign 215 - roundabout, StVO 2000.svg Waterbody.svg Sign 391 - toll route, StVO 2003.svg
Eysturoy-Streymoy Hvítanes - Strendur / Runavík ; shortens the connection from Eysturoy and Klaksvík to the capital. Also connects the two sides of Skálafjørð . Formerly also called Skálafjarðartunnilin.
2017–Denmark road sign A39.svg Nýggjur Hvalbiartunnilin 2050 m  m
 m
 m
 %
 m [N]
 m [S]
Denmark road sign A18.svg| L | T | R. Suðuroy Tvøroyri-Hvalba; Re-routing of the obsolete tunnel from 1963. Start of construction in 2017
2019–Denmark road sign A39.svg Sandoyartunnilin 10,785 m 7.0 m
4.6 m
147 m
5%
 m [N]
 m [S]
Denmark road sign A18.svg| L | T | R.
Waterbody.svg Sign 391 - toll route, StVO 2003.svg
Streymoy - Sandoy Gamlarætt - Skopun Feasibility Study April 2005, replaces ferry.
2020–Denmark road sign A39.svg Dalstunnilin 2200 m 8 m
 m
 m
 %
 m [N]
 m [S]
Sandoy
2021–Denmark road sign A39.svg Tunlar Norður around Fjall 3040 m -
4200 m
 m
 m
 m
 %
 m [N]
 m [S]
Borðoy
planning Gjáartunnilin 1500 m -
2000 m
 m
 m
 m
 %
 m [N]
 m [S]
Eysturoy
planning Tjørnuvíkartunnil 1360 m  m
 m
 m
 %
 m [N]
 m [S]
Streymoy
planning Fuglafirditunnilin 2400 m  m
 m
 m
 %
 m [N]
 m [S]
Eysturoy
planning Sandavágatunnilin 2700 m  m
 m
 m
 %
 m [N]
 m [S]
Vágar
planning Miðvágatunnilin 5100 m  m
 m
 m
 %
 m [N]
 m [S]
Vágar
planning Norðalstunnilin 2200 m  m
 m
 m
 %
 m [N]
 m [S]
Streymoy
planning Syðradalstunnilin 1600 m  m
 m
 m
 %
 m [N]
 m [S]
Streymoy
planning Tunnil around Sandarlíð 380 m  m
 m
 m
 %
 m [N]
 m [S]
Sandoy
planning Suðuroyartunnilin 22,500 m  m
 m
 m
 %
 m [N]
 m [S]
Denmark road sign A18.svg| L | T | R.
Waterbody.svg Sign 391 - toll route, StVO 2003.svg
Sandoy – Suðuroy
planning Nýggjur Sandvíkartunnlin 2100 m  m
 m
 m
 %
 m [N]
 m [S]
Suðuroy
planning Fámjinstunnilin 780 m -
950 m
 m
 m
 m
 %
 m [N]
 m [S]
Suðuroy

Web links

Commons : Tunnels in the Faroe Islands  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Felix Reek: At the jellyfish right - A new tunnel connects the two largest islands in the Faroe Islands. In the middle: a traffic roundabout. Deep under the ocean. Süddeutsche Zeitung , December 18, 2020, accessed on December 19, 2020 .
  2. Uppmátingargrundarlag til Eysturoyartunnilin , us.fo
  3. Eysturoyartunnilin & Sandoyartunnilin ( Memento of July 14, 2014 in the Internet Archive ), landsverk.fo
  4. Alment loyvt at koyra til Gásadals (Officially allowed to drive to Gásadalur) . Portal.fo, December 19, 2006.
  5. Progress on the Sandoy Tunnel - More than 2.5 kilometers of tunnel completed. In: Faroese News. The German-Faroese Circle of Friends e. V., January 30, 2020, accessed December 19, 2020 .
  6. Faroe Islands: Inside the under-sea tunnel network
  7. Nýggj hvalbiarfarleið boðin út til prosjekteringar. In: landsverk.fo. Landsverk, June 7, 2016, accessed June 15, 2016 (Faroese).
  8. Sandoyartunnilin. In: estunlar.fo. Retrieved December 20, 2020 .
  9. Sandoyartunnilin - Fylg við gongdini at bora Sandoyartunnilin. In: estunlar.fo. December 14, 2020, accessed December 20, 2020 (Faroese).
  10. Lata fyrsta skotið av - Klokkan 11 verður fyrsta skotið til Dalstunnilin latið av. In: dagur.fo. November 5, 2020, accessed December 20, 2020 (Faroese).
  11. Loysa fyrsta flagið fyri tunlum. KVF (Kringvarp Føroya), February 7, 2021, accessed on February 16, 2021 .