Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A word of warning for those driving a diesel vehicle: don't fill up at the pump labelled '
augiftsfri diesel
', which is strictly for boats, tractors etc.
TUNNELS IN NORWAY
In November 2000 the world's longest road tunnel, from Lærdal to Aurland
(24.51km long, 7.59km longer than the St Gotthard tunnel in Switzerland), was com-
pleted at a total cost of Nkr1082 million. There are no tolls to use the tunnel as it was
paid for entirely by the national government. The two-lane tunnel, part of the vital
E16 road connecting Oslo and Bergen, reduces the difficulties of winter driving and
replaces the lengthy Gudvangen-Lærdal ferry route. It was drilled through very hard
pre-Cambrian gneiss, with over 1400m of overhead rock at one point. There's a treat-
ment plant for dust and nitrogen dioxide in the tunnel, 34 gigantic ventilation fans,
emergency phones every 500m and three bizarre 'galleries' with blue lighting to
'liven up' the 20-minute trip.
Motorists should tune into NRK radio when driving through the tunnel (yes, there
are transmitters inside!) in case of emergency.
Norway has three out of the 10 longest road tunnels in the world; in addition to
Lærdal, they are Gudvangentunnelen in Sogn og Fjordane (11.43km, also on the
E16) and Folgefonntunnelen in Hardanger (11.15km, on Rv551 and passing beneath
the Folgefonn icecap).
Norway also has a number of undersea tunnels, which typically bore over 200m
below the sea bed; Eiksund-tunnelen (7.76km long, connecting Eika island to the
mainland in Møre og Romsdal) is the world's deepest undersea tunnel at 287m below
sea level. Other long undersea tunnels include Bømlafjordtunnel (7.89km long, in
southwestern Norway, connecting Føyno island), Oslofjordtunnelen (7.2km, on the
Rv23, south of Oslo) and Nordkapptunnelen (6.87km, on the E69 and connecting
Magerøya Island to the mainland).
Hire
Norwegiancarhireiscostlyandgearedmainlytothebusinesstraveller.Walk-inratesfora
compact car with 200km per day free start typically approach Nkr1000 per day (including
