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The Channel Tunnel (French: Tunnel sous la Manche), sometimes referred to informally as the Chunnel, is a 50.46-kilometre (31.35 mi) undersea railway tunnel, opened in 1994, that connects Folkestone (Kent, England) with Coquelles (Pas-de-Calais, France) beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover.
May 11, 2024 · Channel Tunnel, rail tunnel between England and France that runs beneath the English Channel. It is 50 km (31 miles) long and consists of three tunnels: two for rail traffic and a central tunnel for services and security. Learn more about the Channel Tunnel, including its history.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Learn about the Chunnel, the undersea tunnel linking England and France, and how Eurostar runs high-speed trains through it. Find out how long, deep and expensive it was to build, and how to travel with Eurostar or Eurotunnel.
- Overview of The Channel Tunnel
- Early Plans
- A Contest
- The Design For The Channel Tunnels
- Getting Started
- Building The Channel Tunnel
- Connecting The Tunnels
- Finishing The Channel Tunnel
- The Channel Tunnel Opens
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For centuries, crossing the English Channel via boat or ferry had been considered a miserable task. The often inclement weather and choppy water could make even the most seasoned traveler seasick. It is perhaps not surprising then that as early as 1802 plans were being made for an alternate route across the English Channel.
This first plan, made by French engineer Albert Mathieu Favier, called for a tunnel to be dug under the water of the English Channel. This tunnel was to be large enough for horse-drawn carriages to travel through. Although Favier was able to get the backing of French leader Napoleon Bonaparte, the British rejected Favier's plan. (The British feared...
In 1984, French President Francois Mitterrand and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcherjointly agreed that a link across the English Channel would be mutually beneficial. However, both governments realized that although the project would create much-needed jobs, neither country's government could fund such a massive project. Thus, they decided t...
The Channel Tunnel was to be made up of two parallel railway tunnels that would be dug under the English Channel. Between these two railway tunnels would run a third, smaller tunnel that would be used for maintenance, as well as providing a space for drainage pipes, etc. Each of the trains that would run through the Chunnel would be able to hold ca...
Just getting started on the Channel Tunnel was a monumental task. Funds had to be raised (over 50 large banks gave loans), experienced engineers had to be found, 13,000 skilled and unskilled workers had to be hired and housed, and special tunnel boring machines had to be designed and built. As these things were getting done, the designers had to de...
The digging of the Channel Tunnel began simultaneously from the British and the French coasts, with the finished tunnel meeting in the middle. On the British side, the digging began near Shakespeare Cliff outside of Dover; the French side began near the village of Sangatte. The digging was done by huge tunnel boring machines, known as TBMs, which c...
One of the most difficult tasks on the Channel Tunnel project was making sure that both the British side of the tunnel and the French side actually met up in the middle. Special lasers and surveying equipment was used; however, with such a large project, no one was sure it would actually work. Since the service tunnel was the first to be dug, it wa...
Although the meeting of the two sides of the service tunnel was a cause of great celebration, it certainly wasn't the end of the Channel Tunnel building project. Both the British and the French kept digging. The two sides met in the northern running tunnel on May 22, 1991, and then, only a month later, the two sides met in the middle of the souther...
On December 10, 1993, the first test run was completed through the entire Channel Tunnel. After additional fine-tuning, the Channel Tunnel officially opened on May 6, 1994. After six years of construction and $15 billion spent (some sources say upwards of $21 billion), the Channel Tunnel was finally complete.
Learn about the history, challenges and achievements of the Channel Tunnel, a railway tunnel that connects Great Britain with France under the English Channel. Find out how the tunnel was dug, joined and opened in 1994.
- Jennifer Rosenberg
Learn about the unique undersea tunnel that connects Great Britain and continental Europe, its three tunnels, its high-tech systems and its two terminals. Discover how Eurotunnel Shuttles, Eurostar and freight trains operate in the Channel Tunnel and access the border controls.
Learn about the longest undersea rail tunnel in the world, which connects England and France. Find out how it was built, which trains use it and how to book cheap Eurostar tickets.
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May 6, 2024 · 6 May 2024. The Channel Tunnel is celebrating 30 years since it was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II. The 31-mile (50 km) long structure, opened on 6 May 1994, connecting Folkestone in...
