Eurasia Tunnel in Istanbul: First tunnel from Asia to Europe opened

D it will be official on Tuesday (20.12.2016) opened Eurasia tunnel in the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul is the first road tunnel between Asia and Europe. The new tunnel is supposed to relieve the notoriously congested streets of the metropolis and drastically shorten the travel time between the European and Asian parts.

Up to 100 meters below the seabed

Through the 14.6 Kilometers of two-story “Avrasya Tunnel” will in future be used to drive up to 130,000 vehicles per day. Only cars and vans are allowed. According to official information, the tunnel should reduce the travel time between the two banks of the Bosporus from 100 to 15 minutes. A 5.4-kilometer section of the tunnel lies more than 100 meters below the sea floor and should be able to withstand a 7.5 magnitude earthquake. The tunnel project cost the equivalent of around 1.19 billion euros. The tunnel was completed in less than three years. The journey through the tunnel, which connects the D100 Highway on the Asian side with Kennedy Street on the European side of Istanbul, is subject to a toll and costs the equivalent of around 4 euros.

According to official Turkish information, the ' Avrasya Tunnel “around the deepest and widest tunnel in the world.