Amazing Tunnels – Getting Around the Fabulous Faroe Islands
Way up in the North Atlantic, hundreds of kilometers from anywhere else and with a population that could fit inside a football stadium. The breathtakingly beautiful and incredibly remote Faroe Islands have just completed a series of projects that much larger countries could only dream of.
Engineering Feats in a Remote Paradise
So, how has this remote set of islands managed to pull off a task that would be extremely difficult — or next to impossible — in most other places? And why? What are the secrets, and perhaps most importantly, how has this changed the lives of the people here? There is a ‘Guide to the tunnels of the Faroes’.
Ferries: The Traditional Mode of Transport
There are a number of ferries operating around the Faroes, which carry people from one island to the next. Most of them only take 20 or 30 minutes, but if you then need to travel to other islands afterward, it would take a very long time indeed. On top of that, they can get some crazy weather in this part of the world, meaning sometimes these ships don’t sail at all. This is why the Faroese have constructed some incredible feats of infrastructure. New tunnels many of those ferries and the unpredictable weather out of the equation.
Undersea Amazing Tunnels: A Game Changer
Undersea tunnels, like the one that’s been built between the islands of Eysturoy and Streymoy, the largest of the islands where the capital is located, have transformed connectivity. Just a few years ago, the route could only be done by ferry. In fact, it’s one of four tunnels that now stretch beneath the water separating these islands. Overall, the Eysturoy Tunnel network is more than 11 km long and cuts journey times between Tórshavn and the village of Runavík from over an hour to just 16 minutes.
A History of Tunnel Building
Tunnel building is nothing new in the Faroe Islands. Since the 1960s, they’ve dug more than 20 tunnels spanning over 50 km in total, all as part of a policy to connect as many people as possible by road. Most of these tunnels are on-land, but in 2002, the first undersea tunnel connecting Streymoy to Vágar, where the airport is located, went into service. Then, in 2006, another was built between Eysturoy and Borðoy. 2020 saw the opening of the Eysturoy Tunnel, followed by the massive Sandoy Tunnel in 2023.
The Sandoy Tunnel: An Engineering Marvel
The Sandoy Tunnel, which opened in December 2023, is the longest single tunnel on the Faroe Islands, measuring 10.8 km from end to end. With this incredible piece of infrastructure, people now have a much faster way of getting from Streymoy to Sandoy, which was previously only accessible by ferry. Amazingly, Sandoy has a population of less than 1,500, and only 300-400 cars a day will be using the tunnel.
Connecting a Nation
There’s also a bridge linking the two main islands across a gap too short for a tunnel, which was constructed in the ‘70s. This means the Faroese already knew what they were doing when they decided to undertake these dramatic building techniques.
Conclusion
Amazing Tunnels – Getting Around the Fabulous Faroe Islands. These new tunnels are a remarkable achievement for a small nation. Undoubtedly they’re masterpieces of engineering. The Faroe Islands have not only managed to overcome the challenges posed by their remote location and harsh weather but have also enhanced the quality of life for their residents and improved accessibility for visitors. By reducing reliance on ferries and mitigating the impact of unpredictable weather, these tunnels have significantly transformed travel in the Faroes, making it easier, quicker, and more reliable.
Check out our other Faroe Island blogs –
Best guide to Explore the Enchanting Faroe Islands
Best Things to do in and around Vestmanna, Faroe Islands
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