Lærdalstunnelen
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Lærdalstunnelen, the Lærdal Tunnel is a 24.5 km-long road tunnel connecting Lærdal and Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county in western Norway. Construction started in 1995 and was completed in 2000, thus succeeding the Gotthard Road Tunnel as the longest road tunnel in the world. The tunnel is a part of the E16 main route between Oslo and Bergen.
Rail tunnels such as the Seikan Tunnel in Japan and the Channel Tunnel between England and France can exceed 50 km (30 miles) in length. In contrast, the Lærdal Tunnel is the longest road tunnel in the world.
The design of the tunnel takes into consideration the mental strain on drivers, and the tunnel is thus divided into four sections, separated by three large mountain caves. One of the caves is pictured to the right. The caves break the routine, providing a refreshing view and allowing drivers to take a rest.
