Welcome to the 89 million: Warnow tunnel celebrates record trips!

Welcome to the 89 million: Warnow tunnel celebrates record trips!

On Friday, June 13, 2025, a remarkable moment occurred in the Rostock Warnow tunnel: Jenny Petrick and Steve Zimmermann drove the tunnel's rattling thoracic arches as the 89-millionth user. The plan was to be comfortable from Warnemünde to the Handelshof in Brinkmannsdorf, and when the weather was fine, they were received with gifts and congratulations from Yvonne Osterkamp and the popular tunnel mascot Otter Oscar. The anticipation was great, after all, the Warnow tunnel had not only established an important traffic artery for the region over the years, but also created numerous experiences and memories. Rathaus Rostock reports that the two recipient also received admission tickets for the Rostock Zoo and a tank voucher for 89 euros in addition to a colorful bouquet of flowers.

The Warnow tunnel, which opened its goals in 2003, quickly established itself as the fastest connection between the eastern and western part of Rostock. At its opening, an average number of users of up to 25,000 vehicles per day was calculated, of which in 2019 with 13,541 vehicles was quite close again per day. In 2020 there were 12,465 vehicles a day, with the numbers decreased slightly due to panda meadow and we even recorded a decrease of 11 percent from January to April 2021. Despite these challenges, the tunnel company was able to successfully implement the refinancing and experienced a positive result in 2019 as in the following year. n-tv highlights the growing importance of the Warnowtunnel for local traffic.

The construction and the numbers at a glance

The tunnel extends over a length of 790 meters and is the first privately financed road construction project in Germany. The construction period was 45 months. This also contributed to the creation of jobs and intensive economic activity in the region. The numbers speak for themselves, in recent years the company has gained stability and is now better positioned than many years ago. This development shows that the Warnow tunnel is not only an infrastructure element, but also a symbol of successful investments in the future of the city.

• Some essential facts about the Warnow tunnel:
• opened: 2003
• length: 790 meters
• Average number of vehicle 2019: 13,541 per day
• Average number of vehicle 2020: 12,465 per day
• expected number of users at the opening: up to 25,000 vehicles daily
• positive result for the first time 2019
• Since then, society has stabilized through refinancing

tunnel construction in Germany: an overview

As part of a survey by the Stuva, the tunnel construction projects in Germany to be running in Germany shows that around 84 kilometers of tunnels are under construction. Here, too, increased construction activity is evident, while in recent years the local traffic tunnel construction has experienced a certain acceptance. The future tunnel projects from 2024 show a particularly high planning volume, especially for distant train tunnels. Extensive planning for 38 kilometers of tunnel is also planned for Hamburg. Tunnel online provides deeper insights into these developments.

The Warnow tunnel will continue to remain a central part of the Rostock transport infrastructure in the future. With a concept for the toll implemented in good time, the operators offer various payment methods, including tunnel card, tunnel strips and the tunnel box in the direct debit. Whether for the daily commuter or the tourist - the Warnow tunnel remains a river vein through the Hanseatic city of Rostock.