The Ryfast Tunnel — The Longest Undersea Tunnel in the World



Ryfast is a sub-sea tunnel system in Rogaland county, Norway, that runs under a fjord between the cities of Stavanger and Solbakk. When the last section was drilled on Oct. 26, 2017, Ryfast became the longest undersea road tunnel in the world at 8.9 miles. It’s also currently the world’s deepest sub-sea tunnel, reaching a maximum depth of 958 feet below sea level. The tunnel system replaced two ferry routes, making travel between the cities much faster. The tunnel is designed to handle 10,000 vehicles per day and is built with one tube for each traffic-direction and two vehicular lanes in each tube. The tunnel has a toll of $15 for standard vehicles and $6 for  zero-emission vehicles. The tunnel is also equipped with traffic control and monitoring systems that can clearly see incidents using thermal imaging, which allows for the quick clearance of accidents and other incidents that impede the flow of traffic. The system also provides fire detection and can pick up a fire within seven seconds of a flame becoming visible.