The Øresund Tunnel

The Øresund Tunnel is one of the world’s longest immersed tunnels and a technical masterpiece consisting of two tunnel tubes for road traffic, two railway tubes, and a service and escape tube.

The tunnel is essential to avoid disruption to air traffic to and from Copenhagen Airport and to ensure that large ships can pass through the Øresund Strait.

The tunnel is equipped with modern technology for ventilation, lighting, and safety, making it a secure and reliable connection for both car and train traffic.

The Öresund Tunnel is built from 20 tunnel elements that were manufactured at a tunnel factory in Denmark and then submerged and placed in extension of each other in a dredged trench on the seabed under the Drogden shipping channel.

Each tunnel element is 176 meters long, 9 meters high, 40 meters wide, and weighs 55,000 tons. The 3,510-meter-long immersed tunnel is complemented by two portal buildings, each 270 meters long.

The approaches to the two motorway tubes have light filters in the ceiling to provide drivers with a smooth transition between daylight and the electric light in the tunnel. Every 88 meters, there are 1.2-meter-wide escape doors from the road tunnels to the service and escape tube.

Each motorway tube has a total of 80 jet fans. Their main function is to expel smoke and heat in the event of a fire, but also to keep the air clean in all situations.

Facts: The Øresund Tunnel