The project

How long will the fixed link across the Fehmarnbelt be?

The link will comprise a four-lane motorway and a double-track railway running on an approx. 19 km section between the Danish and German coast.

When will the fixed link across the Fehmarnbelt be completed?

Femern A/S expects the fixed link across the Fehmarnbelt to open in 2021, three years later than originally planned. The change is due to the fact that consideration by the authorities is taking longer than expected when the treaty between Denmark and Germany for a Fehmarnbelt link was signed in 2008. The authorities have now demanded a two-year environmental investigation instead of one.

Is the timetable realistic?

The project is proceeding, but the fact that it is unique and extends across national borders means that a fixed time schedule for the authorities' deliberations cannot yet be drawn up. As there is no direct precedent for these procedures, many administrative processes have to be undertaken for the first time. This can take longer than expected. Once the authorities have approved the project the construction time itself of 6-6½ years is relatively robust.

When will construction begin?

Femern A/S expects construction to start in the first half of 2015. Construction will start once the tendering process is over and contracts have been signed with the contractors responsible for the construction of the fixed link. Femern A/S expects the tendering process to start in 2013, beginning with the pre-qualification procedures.

Why is Femern A/S recommending a tunnel rather than a bridge?

The recommendation is based on a preliminary assessment of the relevant environmental and safety issues, including navigational safety and technical, traffic, timing and economic considerations. As the recommendations were made prior to the implementation of the EIA investigation, it only forms the basis for further work.

Does the tunnel recommendation mean that a bridge would be more harmful to the environment than a tunnel? 

A bridge and a tunnel will both affect the environment. However, the initial assessment is that a bridge would have slightly greater, more permanent environmental effects than an immersed tunnel.

Will a bored tunnel not be better for the environment? Why not choose this solution?

A bored tunnel is an environmentally sound but expensive solution. The advantages and disadvantages of a bored tunnel with the same service and safety level as an immersed tunnel have been examined – both in terms of construction and during operation. It is true that the construction of a bored tunnel would have no impact on the seabed nor on shipping in the belt, but in the operational stage (after completion of construction) there would be no difference between the two tunnel solutions' impact on the environment and on sailing conditions. During construction of a bored tunnel, provision should also be made for the fact that some of the excavated soil could be polluted with fat and boring sediment from the boring operations. This means that the soil is not immediately suitable for reuse and needs to be handled as polluted earth. With regard to dredging for an immersed tunnel, the soil would not contain polluted material and can, therefore, be directly used for backfilling.

Would a bridge not be better for tourism and a better landmark of the region?

It is obvious that a tunnel would not be as visible as a bridge. The tourist industry needs fast and easy access to the area's attractions and that need can be met by a bridge or a tunnel.

Who makes the final decision on the choice of a bridge or tunnel? 

The Danish Parliament, Folketinget, will decide. The decision will be in the form of a Construction Act. In Germany, the project must be approved by the relevant German authorities.

Will the adjacent infrastructure on both sides of the Fehmarnbelt be upgraded as part of the fixed link?

The Danish-German treaty on the fixed link commits both countries to invest in the upgrading of the road and rail facilities behind the coast-to-coast link. In Denmark, this primarily applies to the rail section between Ringsted and Rødbyhavn, which will be electrified throughout and double-tracked in all sections apart from the section across the Storstrøms Bridge. In Germany, the road B 207 (E 47) between Heiligenhafen and Puttgarden will be expanded to a four-lane federal motorway apart from the Fehmarnsund Bridge, which will have two lanes. The existing railway between Lübeck and Puttgarden will be electrified and expanded to two tracks with one track across the Fehmarnsund Bridge.

Who will build and who will own the fixed link across the Fehmarnbelt?

A Danish company owned by the Danish state will plan, finance, build, own and operate the coast-to-coast section of the fixed link across the Fehmarnbelt. The planning work for the coast-to-coast section is the responsibility of Femern A/S, which is 100 per cent owned by the Danish state. Rail Net Denmark (Banedanmark) and the Danish Road Directorate (Vejdirektoratet) are responsible for the planning works for the Danish landworks.

Will it be possible to cycle across the fixed link? 
No. A cycle path has not been incorporated into the conceptual designs for the fixed link. Extra costs for a cycle path would amount to approx. EUR 40 – 67 million for a bridge solution and EUR 228 million for a tunnel solution. In addition, there would be the increased costs for operations and maintenance. The current ferry links transport around 4,000 cyclists per year, primarily during the summer months. It is expected that cyclists wishing to cross the fixed link will take the train, as is the case at Great Belt and Øresund. A bus with a bicycle trailer is also a possibility.

What will happen to the local residents whose land and property will be affected by the alignment?

In the areas where the fixed link across the Fehmarnbelt will cross private property, utilization of these landed properties will become inevitable. Some expropriations are temporary while others will be permanent. Entire properties may be claimed as well as partial areas. Furthermore, in certain cases a property can be subject to an easement, i.e. the (partial) property remains with the landowner, but a determined right in rem for a third person will be entered in the land register. For instance when a new cable needs to be laid, the cable operator will obtain a right of utilization, operation and entry. The goal is to already purchase properties in Germany in the context of an early acquisition of land that takes place before the German authorities have approved the project. This is expected to occur in the second half of 2013 at the earliest. The amount of the compensation will be determined on the basis of standard commercial prices for land and property in the area.