Transportation

The Lærdal tunnel between Aurland and Lærdal is 24,5 kms long making it the world’s longest car tunnel. The tunnel was opened in 2000, work on the tunnel took over 5 years. The tunnel is built in four sections, with three large mountain caves between. These are illuminated with blue lights to break up the monotony of the tunnels for those driving through. The purpose of building this tunnel was to create a winter-safe connection between Norway’s two largest cities Oslo and Bergen. Since the opening of the Gudvanga tunnel in 1991, transportation has changed considerably for the towns of Gudvangen, Aurland and Flåm. The car ferry that had transported traffic between the towns for many years was now replaced with tunnels. The travel time between East and West was considerably shortened and it was now much easier for tourists to visit these beautiful fjord towns.