Denmark may end up opening the Fehmarn link for cars before trains can run to Germany. This is evident from the latest status report from the Ministry of Transport, where Femern A/S is considering changing the order of some of the most central installation works in the tunnel to reduce the delay in the road opening.
The background is that the German railway land facilities are delayed. According to the German authorities, the railway south of the tunnel will not be ready for traffic in 2029, and a new Fehmarn Sound tunnel on the German side is expected to be completed around 2032. Thus, train traffic over the Fehmarn Belt may be blocked, even though the immersed tunnel itself is completed.
This has led Femern A/S to reconsider the current schedule.
Two railway contracts may be postponed
In the status report, Femern A/S writes that the company is considering postponing the implementation of two installation contracts. These concern the mechanical and electrical installations for railway tracks and overhead lines in the tunnel.
Overhead lines are the technical power supply that enables electric trains to run, while track work includes the railway technology in the tunnel itself. Both are necessary for train operations but have no significance for car traffic.
By postponing these works, Femern A/S can, according to the report, create a more robust schedule and at the same time reduce the delay in the opening of the road connection.
Road first, train later
The consideration points to a possible scenario where motorists can access the Femern connection, even if trains cannot yet run between Denmark and Germany.
According to the original plan, approximately 30 months are allocated for installations and testing once the tunnel elements are lowered into place. If all installations are carried out together, delays in the railway section risk slowing down the entire project, including the road opening.
By separating things more, Femern A/S can instead focus on the systems necessary for safe road operation, while the railway technology awaits the readiness of the German infrastructure.
Poor interim time
The status report also outlines the frameworks that, in practice, determine how quickly the project can be completed. In the original main schedule, the contractor has estimated 36 months for the submersion of the elements and then approximately 30 months for technical installations and testing before the tunnel can be opened to traffic. Combined, this points to an opening about 5.5 years after the first submersion. If the first submersion occurs at the beginning of 2026, this would mean an opening around the summer of 2031.
The Ministry of Transport simultaneously writes that an increase in costs is to be expected, which will extend the repayment period, but it is still expected to remain within the framework that was the basis when the construction act was adopted.
