European route E39


European route E39 is the designation of a north–south road in Norway and Denmark from Klett, just south of Trondheim, to Aalborg via Bergen, Stavanger and Kristiansand. In total, there are nine ferries, more than any other single road in Europe.
In Trondheim, there are connections to E6 and E14; in Ålesund, to E136, in Bergen to E16, in Haugesund, to E134, in Kristiansand to E18, and in Aalborg to E45.

Norwegian part

In Norway, the E39 is part of the country's national road system, with its development and maintenance falling under the jurisdiction of the public roads administration. The E39 is mostly a two-lane undivided road, and only relatively short sections near Stavanger, Trondheim, and Bergen are motorways or semi-motorways.

Trøndelag county

;Trondheim Municipality
;Melhus Municipality
;Skaun Municipality
;Orkland Municipality
;Heim Municipality

Møre og Romsdal county

;Tingvoll Municipality
;Gjemnes Municipality
;Molde Municipality
;Vestnes Municipality
;Ålesund Municipality
;Sula Municipality
;Ørsta Municipality
;Volda Municipality

Vestland county

;Stad Municipality
;Gloppen Municipality
;Sunnfjord Municipality
;Høyanger Municipality
;Gulen Municipality
;Masfjorden Municipality
;Alver Municipality
;Bergen Municipality
;Fitjar Municipality
;Stord Municipality
;Sveio Municipality

Rogaland county

;Tysvær Municipality
  • Liland toll station
  • at Aksdal, towards Haugesund and Drammen
;Bokn Municipality
;Stavanger Municipality
;Randaberg Municipality
;Stavanger Municipality
;Sandnes Municipality
  • Stokkamyra toll station
  • towards Bryne
;Gjesdal Municipality
;Bjerkreim Municipality
;Eigersund Municipality
;Lund Municipality

Agder County

;Flekkefjord Municipality
;Kvinesdal Municipality
;Lyngdal Municipality
;Lindesnes Municipality
  • Motorway Mandal junction – Grautheller junction
  • 2 toll stations at Skoieveien and Holbekstjønn
; Kristiansand Municipality

Domestic ferries

The E39 ferries are operated by Fjord1 except the Volda-Folkestad and Festøya-Solavågen ferry, which are operated by Norled.
Domestic car ferries on the E39 are regarded as an integral part of national highways. Ferries operate according to a published timetable and standard prices for vehicles and passengers. The E39 includes the following ferry routes from North to South :
  • Halsa–Kanestraum 20 min.
  • Molde–Vestnes 35 min.
  • Solavågen–Festøya 20 min.
  • Anda–Lote 10 min.
  • Lavik–Oppedal 20 min.
  • Halhjem–Sandvikvåg 45 min.
  • Arsvågen–Mortavika 25 min.
The Norwegian government plans to replace all the ferries on E39 in Norway with bridges and tunnels. This involves some of the List of [longest suspension bridge spans#Planned and proposed bridges|longest proposed bridge spans].

History

In 1786, a royal decision was made to establish a postal route between Bergen and Trondheim. From the establishment of mail in Norway in 1647 until then, all mail between those cities went through Oslo. To begin with, the route was for large parts usable only for walking and horse riding, but in the following decades it was rebuilt and became accessible to horse-drawn carriages. Additionally, several parts were only accessible by boat. The route was Bergen–Åsane–Hordvik––Isdal–Hundvin–Gulen–Rutledal––Leirvik –Flekke–Dale–Bygstad–Førde–Jølster–Gloppen-–Faleide –Hornindal–Hellesylt–Stranda––Sjøholt–Vestnes-–Molde–Angvika––Tingvoll––Stangvik–Skei–Rindal–Orkanger–Trondheim. The 1786 decision also included a mail route between Stavanger and Bergen.
In 1858, mail was rerouted to the newly established steamship line Bergen–Vadheim, and the mail route changed to Vadheim–Sande–Førde, in parts precisely along today's route.
Since 1990, a number of long bridges and tunnels have replaced four of the ferries. The bridges and tunnels are:
Other large road projects include:
The route Trondheim–Ålesund–Bergen–Stavanger–Kristiansand was named E39 in 2000. Kristiansund–Stavanger was earlier riksveg 1 from 1992 and riksveg 14 before 1992. Stavanger–Kristiansand was part of E18, and Trondheim – Kristiansund was riksveg 65 and riksveg 71.

Future

  • Rogfast, which will be the world's deepest and longest underwater road tunnel at long and deep, was started in 2018 and is expected to be opened in 2033.
  • The entire route from Stavanger to Kristiansand is planned to be rebuilt into a four-lane motorway before 2035, with a total of remaining to be built.
  • Additionally, Norwegian authorities and private contractors have already prepared concrete construction plans that contemplate replacing every ferry link with a fixed connection. There are seven, but each presents a costly technical challenge as the fjords are wide and very deep, and have met public resistance.
Apart from Rogfast, two projects have a time plan, although delayed:
  • * Hordfast is prioritised because it serves the highest number of ferry ships, five in operation, and second-most vehicle traffic after Rogfast, despite being probably the most technically challenging of all these crossings. A five-kilometre-long floating bridge over Bjørnafjorden is planned, a new world record, in a stormy area, with clearing for ship traffic below. And a suspension bridge over Langenuen with a span, one of the longest in the world. The total cost for Hordfast is estimated at 37 billion NOK, with road tolls contributing around 400 NOK. Regulatory standards will be completed in 2023, and the construction is estimated to be completed in the 2030s.
  • * A crossing of Romsdalsfjord, having a undersea tunnel and a 2000-meter-long suspension bridge with a span. Its construction is scheduled to begin around 2030.
  • Due to difficult terrain and technical challenges, the construction of the remaining four fjord crossings remains uncertain. Despite this, the realization of their construction has been actively studied.
  • *Sognefjorden: a 4 km-long floating bridge is considered.
  • *Nordfjorden: a 1.8 km-long suspension bridge with a 1.5 km span is considered.
  • *Sulafjorden and Vartdalsfjorden: a 4 km-long floating bridge plus a 2 km-long suspension bridge is considered.
  • *Halsafjorden: a 3 km-long floating bridge is considered.

Norway–Denmark ferry

An international car ferry is operated by Color Line and by Fjord Line.
;Kristiansand – Hirtshals 3 hours 15 minutes

Danish part

From Norway, E39 continues via a ferry from Kristiansand to Hirtshals, in northern Denmark. Ferries are run by Color Line and Fjord Line.
The motorway goes from the south of Hirtshals to the north of Aalborg.
The exits are: