Status In use Start Frudalen Opened 1995 | Route 5 End Berge | |
Location Sogn og Fjordane, Norway | ||
The Frudal Tunnel (Norwegian: Frudalstunnelen) is a road tunnel along the Norwegian National Road 5 in the municipality of Sogndal in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The 6,758-metre-long (4.199 mi) tunnel begins at the Frudalen farm, goes through the mountains under the Frudalsbreen glacier, and exits at the small Berge farm area. The tunnel was opened on 29 October 1995 to connect Sogndal municipality to the neighboring Fjærland area in Balestrand municipality.
Prior to its opening in 1995, there was no way to get from Sogndal to Fjærland (in Balestrand) other than by driving from Sogndal to Leikanger and then taking a ferry to Fjærland—quite a long journey. The only road connection to Fjærland was via the Fjærland Tunnel to Jølster to the northwest (that tunnel was built in 1986). After the Frudal Tunnel was built, the people of Fjærland began discussing changes to the municipal borders. On 1 January 2000, the entire Fjærland area was transferred to Sogndal municipality.