European route E39

European route E39 is the designation of a 1330 km 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 Norwegian national road system, and is as such developed and maintained by 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
 * NO road sign 406.svg Klett junction
 * AB-Brücke.svgoll bru
 * Melhus
 * NO road sign 503.svg Semi-motorway Øysand-Thamshavn/Orkanger (22 km)
 * NO road sign 765.svg 2 Toll stations at Øysand/Buvika and Thamshavn
 * Skaun
 * Skaun
 * Orkland
 * NO road sign 406.svg Orkanger
 * Lensvik, Ferry icon.png
 * Heim
 * Ferry icon.png ferry from Halsa to Kanestraum in Tingvoll (20 minutes, fee)
 * Ferry icon.png ferry from Halsa to Kanestraum in Tingvoll (20 minutes, fee)

Møre og Romsdal county



 * Tingvoll
 * AB-Brücke.svg Bergsøysund Bridge 931 m
 * Gjemnes
 * AB-Brücke.svg Gjemnessund Bridge 1257 m
 * Molde
 * NO road sign 406.svgNorwegian-road-sign-771.0.svg ←Molde Airport, Årø →Eide, Elnesvågen
 * NO road sign 406.svg → Fannefjordstunnelen direction Åndalsnes
 * Ferry icon.png ferry from Molde to Vestnes (Furnes dock, 35 minutes)
 * Vestnes
 * at Skorgenes, jointly with E39 until Spjelkavika
 * Ålesund
 * Sjøholt → Linge ferry dock
 * NO road sign 406.svg at Spjelkavika, jointly with E39 from Skorgenes at Tresfjord
 * AB-Brücke.svg Vegsundbrua
 * Sula
 * Ferry icon.png ferry from Solavågen to Festøya in Ørsta (20 minutes, fee)
 * Ørsta
 * NO road sign 406.svg Ørsta
 * Volda
 * NO road sign 406.svg Furene → Tunnel.png Eiksund tunnel
 * to Ferry icon.png Volda-Folkestad
 * Tunnel.png Rotsethorntunnelen 4309 m
 * Tunnel.png Årsettunnelen 272 m
 * Tunnel.png Fyrdsbergtunnelen1185 m
 * Tunnel.png Damfosstunnelen 219 m
 * Tunnel.png Eidsnakktunnelen 1632 m
 * Tunnel.png Kviven Tunnel 6490 m
 * to Hellesylt and Stranda

Vestland county

 * Stad
 * at Leivdøla bridge, jointly with E39 until Nordfjordeid
 * to Ferry icon.png Folkestad-Volda
 * NO road sign 406.svg at Nordfjordeid to Måløy
 * Gloppen
 * Ferry icon.png Ferry from Lote to Anda (10 min, 1–2 departures per hour, fee)
 * at Sandane
 * Tunnel.png Breimsfjelltunnelen 2 867 m
 * Tunnel.png Breimsfjelltunnelen 1 167 m
 * at Byrkjelo
 * Sunnfjord
 * jointly with E39 from Skei to Førde
 * at Moskog to Balestrand over NO road sign 723.31.svgrfjellet
 * NO road sign 765.svg Toll into Førde
 * NO road sign 406.svg to Førde hospital
 * NO road sign 406.svg Førde
 * NO road sign 765.svg Toll into Førde
 * to Askvoll
 * at Espeland to Norwegian-road-sign-771.0.svg Førde airport
 * at Sande to Dale and Askvoll westbound or to NO road sign 723.31.svgrfjellet eastbound
 * Tunnel.png Økslandtunnelen 760 m
 * Høyanger
 * at Vadheim
 * Tunnel.png Bogstunnelen 3482 m
 * Tunnel.png Noreviktunnelen 2591 m
 * Lavik
 * Ferry icon.png ferry from Lavik to Ytre Oppedal (20 min, 1–2 departures per hour, fee)
 * Gulen
 * Ytre Oppedal
 * Tunnel.png Skrikebergtunnelen 1500 m
 * Tunnel.png Jernfjelltunnelen 2391 m
 * Masfjorden
 * Tunnel.png Matreberg Tunnel 1352 m
 * Tunnel.png Masfjord Tunnel 4110 m
 * Alver
 * Tunnel.png Eikefet Tunnel 4910 m
 * NO road sign 765.svg Mundalsberget
 * Tunnel.png Mundalsberg Tunnel 1085 m
 * at Knarvik
 * AB-Brücke.svg Hagelsund Bridge 623 m
 * NO road sign 765.svg Flatøy
 * to Flatøy and Holsnøy
 * AB-Brücke.svg Nordhordland Bridge (Nordhordlandsbrua) 1614 m
 * Bergen
 * at Nyborg
 * NO road sign 502.svg Motorway Vågsbotn – Eidsvåg (5 km)
 * Tunnel.png Fløyfjellstunnelen (two parallel tunnels, 3195 and 3825 m)
 * Bergen
 * NO road sign 765.svg 3 Toll stations at Sandviken, Nygårdsbroen and Fjøsangerveien
 * NO road sign 503.svg Semi-motorway Fjøsanger - Hop (2 km)
 * NO road sign 502.svg Hop
 * to Norwegian-road-sign-771.0.svg Bergen Airport, Flesland
 * NO road sign 504.svg Svegatjørn
 * Ferry icon.png Ferry from Halhjem to Sandvikvåg (40 min, 3 departures per hour, fee)
 * Fitjar
 * to Fitjar
 * Stord
 * at Ferry icon.pngvik
 * AB-Brücke.svg Stordabrua/Stord Bridge (1076 m)
 * Tunnel.png Bømlafjordtunnelen/Bømlafjord Tunnel (7888 m, 262 m below s.l.)
 * Sveio

Rogaland county

 * Tysvær
 * At Aksdal
 * Bokn
 * Ferry icon.png Ferry from Arsvågen to Mortavika
 * Stavanger
 * Tunnel.png Mastrafjordtunnelen (4424 m)
 * Tunnel.png Byfjordtunnelen (5875 m)
 * Randaberg
 * Stavanger
 * NO road sign 765.svg 2 Toll stations at Randabergveien and Forus
 * NO road sign 502.svg Motorway Schancheholen–Sandved (12 km)
 * Norwegian-road-sign-771.0.svg Stavanger Airport, Sola
 * Sandnes
 * Gjesdal
 * Bjerkreim
 * Eigersund
 * Lund

Agder County

 * Flekkefjord
 * Kvinesdal
 * AB-Brücke.svg Fedafjorden Bridge
 * Tunnel.png Vatlandtunnelen (3184 m)
 * Lyngdal
 * NO road sign 765.svg Toll Handeland in Lyngdal
 * Lindesnes
 * Tunnel.png Kirkeheitunnelen (835 m)
 * Kristiansand
 * NO road sign 765.svg Toll Vesterveien in Kristiansand
 * At Kristiansand
 * Ferry icon.pnghals, Denmark (2–3 hours, 2–5 departures/day, fee)

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 (approximate crossing time in minutes):


 * 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.
 * 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 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 over to Oslo. To begin with, the route was for large parts usable for walking and horse riding only, but in the following decades it was rebuilt to allow horse carriages. Several parts required boat. The route was Bergen–Åsane–Hordvik–(boat over Salhusfjorden)–Isdal–Hundvin–Gulen–Rutledal–(boat over Sognefjorden)–Leirvik (Hyllestad)–Flekke–Dale–Bygstad–Førde–Jølster–Gloppen-(boat over Nordfjord)–Faleide (Stryn)–Hornindal–Hellesylt–Stranda–(boat along Storfjorden)–Sjøholt–Vestnes-(boat over Romsdalsfjorden)–Molde–Angvik–(boat over Tingvollfjorden)–Tingvoll–(boat over Halsafjord)–Stangvik–Skei–Rindal–Orkanger–Trondheim. The 1786 decision also included a mail route between Stavanger and Bergen. In 1858, mail was rerouted to newly established steam ships 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:
 * Nordhordland Bridge (1994)
 * Gjemnessund Bridge and Bergsøysund Bridge (1992)
 * Stord Bridge and Bømlafjord Tunnel (2000)
 * Kviven Tunnel and further tunnels (2012)
 * Klett–Orkanger (2005)
 * Orkanger–Høgkjølen (2015)
 * Lote Tunnel (1966)
 * Bogs Tunnel (2004) and the adjacent Norevik Tunnel (2012)
 * Masfjord Tunnel and adjacent tunnels (1986–1995)
 * Eikefet Tunnel (1980)
 * Fløyfjell Tunnel (1989)
 * Mastrafjord Tunnel (1982)

The route Trondheim–Ålesund–Bergen–Stavanger–Kristiansand was named E39 in 2000. Kristiansund–Stavanger was earlier riksveg 1 (national highway 1, "coastal through-road") from 1992 and riksveg 14 before 1992. Stavanger–Kristiansand was part of E18, and Trondheim – Kristiansund was riksveg 65 and riksveg 71.

Future

 * A 15 km motorway south of Bergen is under construction and expected to be finished in 2022.
 * Rogfast, which will be the world's deepest and longest underwater road tunnel at 27 km and 392 m, was started (first blasting) in 2018 and is expected to be opened in 2033.
 * The entire route from Stavanger to Kristiansand is planned to be rebuilt into 4 lane motorway before 2030, in total 144 km remaining (as of 2021) to be built.
 * There are plans to replace 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 (south of Bergen) is prioritised because of having the highest number of ferry ships, five in operation, and second-most vehicle traffic after Rogfast. It is prioritised 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 1700 m span, one of the longest in the world. The total cost for Hordfast is estimated to 37 billion NOK ($US billion) in part paid by road tolls of around 400 NOK. Regulatory standards will be completed in 2023, and it is estimated to be completed in the 2030s.
 * A crossing of Romsdalsfjorden (Ålesund–Molde), having a 16 km undersea tunnel and a 2000-meter-long suspension bridge with 1650 meter long span. Construction start is planned for around 2030.
 * The remaining four fjord crossings are more unsure, but are being investigated.
 * 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 (seasonally).
 * Kristiansand – Hirtshals 3 hours 15 minutes

Danish part
From Norway, E39 goes with 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:
 * Denmark road sign D12.svg Aabyen
 * [[File:AB-AS-grün.svg]] 2 Hjørring N
 * [[File:AB-AS-grün.svg]] 3 Hjørring C
 * [[File:AB-AS-grün.svg]] 4 Hjørring S
 * [[File:AB-AS-grün.svg]] 5 Vrå
 * [[File:AB-AS-grün.svg]] 6 Brønderslev C
 * [[File:AB-AS-grün.svg]] 7 Brønderslev S
 * Zeichen 314 - Parkplatz, StVO 2013.svg|Zeichen 361-50.svg Store Vildmose
 * [[File:AB-AS-grün.svg]] 8 Tylstrup
 * [[File:AB-AS-grün.svg]] 9 Vestbjerg
 * [[File:AB-AS-grün.svg]] 10 Høvejen → Aalborg Airport
 * [[File:AB-Kreuz-grün.svg]] Aalborg, Aarhus