Lifeboat Foundation

Construction has begun on what will be the world’s largest underwater road and rail tunnel connecting Denmark and Germany, as Newsweek reported.

The tunnel, which is a major component of the European Union’s Scandinavian-Mediterranean corridor plan, runs beneath the Fehmarn strait for more than 11 miles and aims to cut travel times between the two countries. A 45-minute ferry ride may soon be reduced to a quick seven-minute train commute.

Denmark’s transport minister, Thomas Danielsen, called the project “a milestone in Danish history” at a ceremony celebrating the progress, per the report. He continued, “With the Fehmarnbelt tunnel, we get a fantastic and cross-border infrastructure project.”