European route E39

European route E39
Country	EUR
Route	39
Length km	1330
Terminus a	Trondheim
Terminus b	Aalborg
Countries	Norway, Denmark

European route E39 is a north–south international road traversing the western coast of Norway and connecting to Denmark via ferry and bridge links. The route links major Norwegian cities and ports including Trondheim, Molde, Ålesund, Bergen, Stavanger, and Kristiansand, then continues to Aalborg in Denmark. E39 forms a spine for coastal transport, integrating fjord crossings, national highways, and international shipping lanes such as the North Sea and Skagerrak routes.

Route description

E39 begins in the Trondheim metropolitan area near Trondheim Central Station and follows Norwegian national roads skirting the western Norwegian fjords, passing through municipalities such as Melhus, Orkdal, and Heim. South of Trondheim the route intersects with European corridors like E6 near Værnes and links to the Ålesund region via the Trollstigen approach and the coastal city of Molde. The corridor continues along Vestlandet through Sogn og Fjordane and Møre og Romsdal, serving urban centers including Ålesund Hospital and the regional hub of Volda. Further southwest the road serves the major coastal agglomerations of Bergenhus, Hordaland, and the metropolitan area of Bergen, passing near landmarks such as Fløyen and the port authority at Bergen Port. Crossing into Rogaland, E39 connects Stavanger Airport and urban districts of Sandnes, before reaching the southern terminus on the Norwegian side at Kristiansand where ferry and fixed links connect onward to Denmark and the Jutland peninsula including Aalborg and regional nodes like Frederikshavn.

History

The alignment of E39 traces older coastal trade and postal routes used since the Viking Age linking medieval ports such as Nidaros (medieval Trondheim) and Bergen with later 19th-century road-building initiatives led by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. The designation as part of the international E-road network derived from agreements under the UNECE, formalized in mid-20th-century European transport planning alongside corridors like E6 and E18. Postwar reconstruction accelerated paving and ferry integration, while the late 20th and early 21st centuries saw significant upgrades near Bergen and the development of motorways around Stavanger influenced by North Sea oil industry demands centered at Statfjord and Ekofisk. Recent decades feature major infrastructure programs promoted by the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications and local governments in Vestland and Rogaland to replace ferry crossings with subsea tunnels and bridges comparable to projects such as the Hardanger Bridge and the Eiksund Tunnel.

Junctions and major towns

E39 interchanges with numerous primary routes and serves many coastal municipalities. Notable junctions include links with E6 near Trondheim and with E16 in the Bergen region, as well as connections to national roads such as Norwegian National Road 13 and Norwegian County Road 551. Major urban centers along the route: Trondheim, Molde, Ålesund, Volda, Bergen, Stavanger, Sandnes, Egersund, Kristiansand, and onward to Danish cities such as Aalborg and the ferry port at Hirtshals and Frederikshavn. Ports and logistical hubs—Bergen Port, Stavanger Port, Kristiansand Port—serve freight and passenger traffic, while airports including Trondheim Airport, Værnes, Ålesund Airport, Vigra, Bergen Airport, Flesland, and Stavanger Airport, Sola provide multimodal connections.

Ferries and fixed links

E39 historically relied on multiple ferry crossings across fjords and the Skagerrak, operated by companies including Color Line and Stena Line, linking ports such as Bergen–Hirtshals and Kristiansand–Hirtshals. Norway’s ambition to replace long ferry segments with fixed links has produced major projects: the Hardanger Bridge and the subsea Eiksund Tunnel reduced travel times and improved continuity. Proposed and completed fixed links aim to substitute crossings like the Boknafjord crossing and Sognefjord crossings with bridges or subsea tunnels, inspired by engineering of the Atlantic Ocean Road and the Nordhordland Bridge. Ferry terminals remain at strategic points like Molde and Eidfjord pending implementation of tunnel and bridge solutions.

Traffic and road standards

The E39 corridor comprises a mix of single-carriageway roads, dual carriageways, and motorway-standard sections meeting Norwegian national road standards administered by the Statens vegvesen. Traffic composition is diverse, including long-haul freight destined for ports like Bergen Port and regional commuter flows in metropolitan areas such as Bergen and Stavanger. Seasonal tourism increases traffic near attractions such as the Geirangerfjord and the Trolltunga region. Safety and capacity programs address winter maintenance, avalanche protection in regions near Trollheimen, and weight limits to accommodate heavy vehicles serving oilfields like Oseberg and industrial zones near Ålesund.

Future developments and upgrades

Long-term planning by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration and regional authorities in Vestland seeks to eliminate remaining ferry sections through ambitious projects including the proposed Rogfast subsea tunnel, fixed links across the Boknafjord, and potential Sognefjord crossings. EU and UNECE transport strategies, alongside Norwegian investment models and toll financing schemes, shape priorities. Expected outcomes include reduced travel times, modal shifts from short-sea shipping to road freight near ports like Kristiansand Port, and enhanced resilience against climate impacts documented by research institutions such as Norsk institutt for naturforskning. These changes will influence urban development in nodes such as Bergen and Stavanger and the broader Scandinavian transport network.

Category:Roads in Norway Category:Roads in Denmark Category:European routes