| E18 | |
|---|---|
| Route information | |
| Length: | 1,890 km (1,170 mi) |
| Major junctions | |
| West end: | Craigavon (United Kingdom) |
| East end: | Saint Petersburg (Russia) |
| Location | |
| Countries: | United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, and Finland, Russia |
| Highway system | |
European route E18 runs from Craigavon in the United Kingdom to Saint Petersburg in Russia, passing through Norway, Sweden, and Finland. It is about 1,890 km (1,174 mi) in length.
Contents |
The route starts in Northern Ireland and runs from Craigavon (M1) – Belfast (M2, A8) – Larne, then to Scotland: Stranraer (A75) – Gretna (M6) – Carlisle (A69) to Newcastle. Like all European routes, it is not signposted as such in the United Kingdom.
The route continues as a motorway from Kristiansand in Norway (although scheduled ferry connection between Newcastle and Kristiansand ceased).
E18 is connected with the E39 Ferry to Denmark. The ferry runs from Kristansand to Hirtshals, takes about 3 hours and is operated by Colorline.
In Norway and Sweden the E18 runs Kristiansand – Arendal – Porsgrunn – Larvik – Sandefjord – Tønsberg – Horten – Drammen – Oslo – Ås – Askim – Karlstad (in Sweden) – Örebro – Västerås – Stockholm/Kapellskär. Much of the route through northern Vestfold was disrupted in 2007 due to the collapse of the Hanekleiv tunnel and the need for additional repairs in the other tunnels in that area.
The connection over the Baltic Sea from Sweden to Turku/Naantali Finland is by cruiseferries operated by Silja Line and Viking Line. It is also possible to take a direct route to Helsinki. In theory it is also possible to cross the sea via Åland and the Åboland islands by island hopping over bridges, by cable ferries and ferries along the Archipelago Ring Road, but this route is not signposted as being part of the E18.
In Finland the E18 goes from Åland through southern Finland by way of Turku/Naantali – Salo – Lohja – Helsinki – Porvoo – Loviisa – Kotka – Hamina – Vaalimaa till the border with Russia. Often at the border with Russia can be some queues because the border control is poorly equipped for the increasing volume of traffic using it.[1] The situation has since 2009 improved thanks to increased capacity, so that there are usually no long queues any more.
In Russia, E18 goes along the Russian route M10 from Finnish border to Saint Petersburg. The strech of M10 between Saint Petersburg and the Finnish border will be redesignated to A181 by 2018[2]. The route runs through northwestern Leningrad Oblast and mostly through sparsely populated areas. Since 2003, after opening of Vyborg bypass E18 does not go through Vyborg, though previously it did.[3] Near Saint Petersburg the route runs through suburbs, such as Sestroretsk and Olgino. E18 terminates at the western border of Saint Petersburg.
There are plans to expand the road from one to three lanes in each direction because of the increasing volume of traffic.[4] In 2012 the highway will be connected with the Western Rapid Diameter near Beloostrov by expanded existing junction of M10 with the Zelenogorsk higway. It is likely to be a new terminus of E18.[5]
Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:E18 E 18] at Wikimedia Commons
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