Netherlands' longest road tunnels

Frits Pieper
19 apr 2018

The Netherlands has several dozen road tunnels. The oldest tunnel is the Maastunnel under the Nieuwe Maas in Rotterdam. This tunnel was opened in 1942, during the Second World War.

At approximately one kilometre, the Maastunnel is far from the Netherlands' longest road tunnel. What follows is the top five longest road tunnels in our country, including two tunnels in 'our' Limburg.

1. Westerscheldetunnel – 7 km

 

The Westerscheldetunnel is approximately 7 km long and has two lanes in both directions. The tunnel runs under the Westerschelde and connects Zuid-Beveland with Terneuzen, in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, the southernmost part of the province of Zeeland. The tunnel was opened in 2003 and you have to pay a toll.

2. Gaasperdammertunnel – 3 km

At a suitable distance follows the 3 km long Gaasperdammertunnel in Amsterdam, part of the A9, which is currently under construction and should be ready in 2020. When it is finished, it will be the longest land tunnel in the Netherlands.

3. Rhine Route tunnel – 2,5 km

Also under construction is the RijnlandRoute tunnel, part of the new road from Katwijk to Leiden. This is a so-called bored tunnel, the completion of which is planned for 2022.

4. King Willem-Alexander Tunnel – 2,3 km

The King Willem-Alexander Tunnel is a stacked tunnel with two layers. One for local traffic (N2) and one for through traffic (A2). This makes the tunnel unique in Europe. The construction costs amounted to a whopping 850 million euros, making it the most expensive tunnel in our country. Until the completion of the Gaasperdammertunnel, this will remain the country's longest land tunnel.

5. Rudder tunnel – 2 km

The top five is rounded off by the 2 km long Roertunnel, which was the longest land tunnel in the country until the opening of the King Willem-Alexandertunnel. This tunnel has been closed several times for safety reasons, which led to major traffic jams.


For some people, driving through a tunnel is their worst nightmare. They suffer from so-called tunnel fear, or tunnel anxiety. Do you suffer from this too?

Leave a comment





Related Posts

Until what age do you need a car seat?

Until what age do you need a car seat?

It is extremely important for the safety of your child that you transport him or her in the correct manner…

Read more "

top up oil

How many liters of oil does your car use?

How many liters of oil does a car hold? This is a question many drivers ask themselves, especially when…

Read more "

fill out damage form

Tips for completing a damage claim form after an accident

If you have an accident, you want to be reimbursed for the damage caused by your car insurance, especially if it is your fault…

Read more "