The Llogara Tunnel is a tunnel located in the south of

Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...

about 20 km from Vlora. The tunnel that cuts through the

Llogara National Park Llogara National Park () is a national park centered on the Ceraunian Mountains along the Albanian Riviera in southwestern Albania, spanning a surface area of . The park's terrain includes large alpine meadows, vertical rock faces, precipices ...

, has a length of 6 kilometers and is the longest in the country. It is expected to significantly improve travel times between the

Albanian Riviera The Albanian Riviera (, ), also popularly known as Bregu, is a coastline along the north-eastern Ionian Sea in the Mediterranean Sea, encompassing the districts of Sarandë and Vlorë in south-western Albania. It forms an important section of t ...

and other parts of the country.

Overview

The Llogara Tunnel, an important infrastructure project in southern Albania, aims to improve connections and facilitate transportation between Vlora and the Albanian Riviera. With the growing tourism in this beautiful area, the need for road improvements became clear. While the SH8 road was constantly being expanded, the Llogara Pass remained challenging due to its elevation of over and narrow bends. In 2017, Prime Minister

Edi Rama Edi Rama (born Edvin Kristaq Rama; 4 July 1964) is an Albanian politician, artist and writer who has been serving as the 33rd and incumbent prime minister of Albania since 2013 and chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania since 2005. He was M ...

first announced the idea of constructing a tunnel under the

. After a brief tender process, the planning contract was awarded to an Austrian engineering firm at the end of 2020. Less than a year later, the construction contract was awarded to a Turkish consortium, with an estimated cost of 140 million euros. Official excavation work for the tunnel began in November 2021, and about 14 months later, in January 2023, the first tube was completed. It passes under the

Llogara Pass The Llogara Pass (); (also Llogora in local dialect) is a high mountain pass within the Ceraunian Mountains along the Albanian Riviera. It connects the Dukat Valley in the north with Himarë in the south. Orikum is the nearest city on the nor ...

and connects Vlora with the Albanian Riviera, offering stunning views along the way. This 142 million euro investment includes concrete lining and complex systems for drainage, ventilation, fire and smoke protection, lighting, emergency calls, and signaling. Upon completion, the tunnel is expected to reduce the travel time from Dukat to

Palasë Palasë ( or ''Palasa''; , ''Palasa'') also Paljasa () (), is a village in Himarë municipality (13 kilometres from the town), Vlorë County, southern Albania. It is located near the Llogara National Park and next to the Ionian coast on the Alb ...

from 30 minutes to just 7 minutes. The Llogara Tunnel is expected to have a significant impact on the country's economy and contribute to the development of tourism along the Albanian coast. With its opening for traffic on July 5, 2024, the tunnel will facilitate travel and provide a new experience for all who visit this area.

References

{{reflist Tunnels in Albania

Overview

See also

References