On the remote Faroe Islands, a groundbreaking infrastructure project has transformed travel in the archipelago, connecting isolated communities and enabling breathtaking journeys beneath the seabed.
This remarkable £300 million underwater tunnel network, known as the Eysturoyartunnilin or Eysturoy Tunnel, connects the islands of Streymoy and Eysturoy and fundamentally changes the way locals and visitors navigate this stunning part of the world.
The Eysturoy Tunnel, which opened to traffic on December 19, 2020, is the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken in the Faroe Islands. This ambitious project also includes a special feature: the world’s first underwater roundabout, located deep beneath the Skálafjørður fjord.
The tunnel itself is 11.24 kilometers (6.98 miles) long, making it one of the longest underwater road tunnels in the world. Only the Ryfast Tunnel in Norway is longer than the others.
Thanks to the three-part design of the Eysturoy Tunnel, motorists can travel between the islands with unprecedented ease.
The main route stretches from Tórshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands, on Streymoy to the roundabout and then becomes asphalt again near the village of Hvítanes on Eysturoy.
Two further branch lines lead to the towns of Runavík and Strendur and drastically shorten the travel time across the islands.
The benefits of this tunnel are obvious for residents and travellers. Before its construction, the journey from Tórshavn to Runavík or Strendur took 64 minutes and covered a distance of 55 kilometres.
Thanks to the tunnel, the journey time for a distance of 17 kilometres is reduced to just 16 minutes. The journey from Tórshavn to Klaksvík, the second largest city in the Faroe Islands, is also reduced from 68 minutes to just 36 minutes.
Beyond its practical use, the Eysturoy Tunnel is a marvel of engineering. The tunnel extends to a depth of 189 metres (620 feet) below the water’s surface and ensures safety, as the gradient is never steeper than five percent.
The underwater roundabout, the heart of the tunnel, is also decorated with works of art and light installations and offers passers-by an impressive visual experience.
Improved accessibility has led to an increase in traffic volumes and enabled greater interaction and economic integration between the islands. This is particularly reflected in the increase in property values on the Eysturoy side of the tunnel – they increased by 31 percent between 2019 and 2020 and doubled between 2015 and 2020.
