Bergen - Norway - page 254

The World's Longest Tunnel
Thanks to a tunnel, you can now drive from Oslo to Bergen without
having to take a ferry across water. Opened in 2001, the Laerdal Tun-
nel , stretching for 25km (15 miles), is the longest in the world.
It lies on E16, the main road between Bergen and Oslo. The entrance
to the tunnel begins at a point 296km (185 miles) northwest of Oslo.
Costing $1.1 billion, it is said to be the safest road tunnel on the globe.
Along with high-tech monitoring, fire safety, and air treatment, the
tunnel features a trio of large turning caverns (in case you change your
mind and want to go back), 16 turning points, and nearly 50 emer-
gency “lay-bys.” Some 400 vehicles per hour can go through the tun-
nel, the ride taking just 20 minutes.
The area up above gets severe weather in winter but all is calm in
the tunnel. The high mountain passes at 1,809m (5,935 ft.) are closed
in winter. The panoramic, high-mountain road between Aurland and
Laerdal, the so-called “Snow Road,” is open only in summer.
BY CAR A toll is charged on all vehicles driven into the city center Monday
to Friday from 6am to 10pm. A single ticket costs 15NOK ($2.15).
The trip from Oslo to Bergen is a mountain drive filled with dramatic
scenery. Because mountains split the country, there's no direct road. The south-
ern route, E76, goes through mountain passes until the junction with Route 47;
then heads north to Kinsarvik and makes the ferry crossing to E16 leading west
to Bergen. The northern route, Highway 7, through the resort of Geilo, heads
to the junction with Route 47; then south to Kinsarvik. Take the ferry, and then
go west on E16.
Visitors with a lot of time may spend 2 or 3 days driving from Oslo to Bergen.
Fjords and snowcapped peaks line the way, and you can photograph waterfalls,
fjord villages, and perhaps ancient stave churches.
To reduce driving time, motorists can use a tunnel—11km (almost 7 miles),
the longest in northern Europe—that goes between Flåm (see “Flåm: Stopover
on Europe's Most Scenic Train Ride,” in chapter 11) and Gudvangen. From
Gudvangen, follow E16 southwest to Bergen.
VISITOR INFORMATION
The Bergen Tourist Office, Vågsallmenningen 1 ( & 55-55-20-00; www.
bergen-travel.com), provides information, maps, and brochures about Bergen
and the rest of the region. It's open June to August daily from 8:30am to 10pm;
May and September daily 9am to 8pm; October to April, Monday to Saturday
9am to 4pm. The Bergen Tourist Office can also help you find a place to stay,
exchange foreign currency, and cash traveler's checks when banks are closed. You
can also buy tickets for city sightseeing or for tours of the fjords.
CITY LAYOUT
Bergen is squeezed between mountain ranges and bounded by water. The center
of the city lies between the harbor, Bryggen (check out “Seeing the Sights,” later
in this chapter), the railway station, and the main square, Torgalmenningen.