Get Lost In The World's Longest Tunnel

Want to go from Oslo to Bergen without taking the ferry? You’re in for a ride—quite literally. The road will take you in the heart of Sogn, in western Norway, where you’ll get to enter the world’s longest road tunnel: Lærdal tunnel stretches out at 24.5 kilometers (15.2 miles), connecting the cities of Lærdal and Aurland, and it’s definitely one for the books.

The construction of the Lærdal Tunnel (Lærdalstunnelen in Norwegian) lasted five years and was completed in 2000—surpassing the St. Gottard Tunnel in Switzerland by five miles, which is currently considered the second longest tunnel in the world. The whole project cost 1,050 million NOK ($126 million USD), which means that every meter of the finished tunnel cost 38,000 NOK ($4.5 thousand USD). If the numbers are giving you tunnel vision, then consider this: the tunnel is toll-free for everyone.

The entrance to Lærdal tunnel in Aurland

How long will it take you to travel through the world’s longest tunnel? About 20 minutes. Yes, that’s a long time driving inside the earth—one could very easily start getting bored or even fall asleep. Of course that would never happen to you, but in any case, you don’t have to worry: when this tunnel was designed, special features were added to create some visual interest and keep the drivers alert. Safety equipment and monitoring are also installed.

Because of Lærdal tunnel’s length, air circulation could also be a problem—that’s why it was decided that the tunnel will also feature its own air treatment plant (the first in the world to do so). The plant, located in one of the biggest caverns, comprises two large fans and an electrostatic and carbon filter, which keeps dust and nitrogen dioxide away. You can basically breath easy.

The lights in the tunnel cast an eerie glow

A toll-free tunnel with beautiful lighting fixtures and clean air? It’s no wonder that so many people choose the Lærdal tunnel for their trips. About 1,000 vehicles drive through every day, and when the traffic is at its heaviest, there can be 400 vehicles in the tunnel during the course of an hour. Thankfully, all these caverns make it easy for you to stop and rest if you need to. Or, take some Instagram photos.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.