Longest cycle tunnel in the world: Fyllingsdal Tunnel

Have you ever cycled through a mountain? This is now possible in Norway. And that’s not all: the so-called Fyllingsdal Tunnel is the longest cycle tunnel in the world. Find out more about this exciting attraction here.

Norway has done it again. The Lærdalstunnel is considered the longest road tunnel in the world. The Fyllingsdal Tunnel (Fyllingsdalstunnelen in Norwegian) is now another milestone. Here, the municipality of Bergen has created the longest tunnel in the world – deliberately designed for bicycle traffic. Since April this year, visitors have been able to cross the Løvstakken mountain on foot or by bike. This means that the residential areas of Fyllingsdalen and Mindemyren are now connected. The route is just under three kilometers long and is mainly straight.

A tunnel is not usually a place you want to spend a long time in – let alone walk through at walking pace. So how can you (or rather “women”) feel safe? For one thing, the municipality of Bergen has installed surveillance cameras at regular intervals. There is also an emergency call pillar every 250 meters. And as an attraction, there are well-lit “rest stops” with a short break. On the other hand, a colorful wave of light is generated when entering the cycle tunnel. This allows visitors to recognize when oncoming traffic is approaching.

In addition, the tunnel is not characterized by the usual monotonous grey. Artists have transformed the Fyllingsdal Tunnel into a veritable art scene. The side walls are full of works of art and light installations. This breaks up the monotony and makes crossing the tunnel an attraction. For example, there is a kind of sundial in the middle of the route – ironically, of course, as the sun will never reach this point. There are also landmarks. Here, graphics on the side walls make it clear where you are and how far away the next exit is.

No one has to worry about the statics either. “We Norwegians are normally modest people, but in this case we would say that the tunnel is 100 percent state of the art,” Camilla Einarsen Heggernes, a spokeswoman for the railroad company Bybanen Utbygging, told the news channel “CNN”. The tunnel cost almost 29 million US dollars to build.

There are two clearly legible lanes. This means that cyclists and pedestrians do not get in each other’s way. The cycle path is 3.5 meters wide. The other area is 2.5 meters wide and serves as a footpath and for jogging. To make the division even clearer, the cycle lane is made of asphalt and the other of royal blue tartan. The rubbery character therefore provides cushioning and makes for an attractive training route. The temperature in the Fyllingsdal Tunnel is also a constant seven degrees Celsius. This means that nothing stands in the way of year-round, covered exercise. There are also plenty of places to sit – for example in the form of boulders from the construction period. This is a nice way of emphasizing the genius loci of the place and the technical achievement.

Originally, the Fyllingsdal tunnel had only one purpose: to serve as an escape route for train passengers on Bergen’s new Bybanen light rail line. This was inaugurated in November 2022 and runs parallel to the cycle tunnel. The municipality then decided to upgrade the infrastructure from a by-product to a creative showcase project. As a result, the tunnel was expanded specifically for pedestrians and cyclists. “The great thing about it is that we are using necessary infrastructure such as an escape tunnel to create new connections and shortcuts between the city districts,” said Mayor Jon Askeland about the construction project.

It’s a bit of a paradox – but the construction of the Fyllingsdal tunnel is intended to benefit the environment. The aim of the project is to reduce the number of people using their cars. The new tunnel is therefore intended to encourage residents and travelers to take the bike or walk instead. It takes around thirty to forty minutes to cover the distance on foot. By bike, it now only takes ten to fifteen minutes. The journey time has been halved for those who want to get from Fyllingsdalen to Bergen city center. On existing routes, it is easy to continue directly from the tunnel exit to the center of Bergen. The mountain crossing is possible daily from 5:30 am to 11:30 pm.

In summary, the Fyllingsdal tunnel will improve the quality of life in Bergen and the surrounding area. “By creating a walkway here, it is also possible to do sports (…) So it’s about public health in every meter of this tunnel,” said project manager Arild Tveit. “It opens up many entertaining opportunities such as races and competitions,” Rune Bakervik, Bergen City Council Chairman, also confirmed to CNN. Furthermore, the Fyllingsdal Tunnel will of course also increase tourism. And the fewer cars used, the better.

The Norwegian region is actively pursuing the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2030. Ferries are already being converted to electric propulsion. The infrastructure for the many electric vehicles is also already well developed. It is therefore not the first time that Bergen has taken on a pioneering role in environmental initiatives. The Fyllingsdal tunnel was financed by the municipality’s state-funded Miljøløftet (environmental pledge).

Speaking of cycling: A new bicycle road will be built in Vienna by fall 2024.