The longest road tunnel in the world. The longest tunnels in the world

The relief of the earth's surface is not perfectly flat, but is almost always complex, so when laying roads it is almost impossible to do without tunnels. The prototypes of tunnels in ancient times were mines; with the help of this military stratagem one could sneak behind the enemy's back unnoticed and fall on his shoulders. Today's tunnels, for the most part, serve completely different purposes. There are a variety of tunnels, differing in length, location and structure. What is currently the longest tunnel in the world?

10. Laerdal Tunnel, Norway (24,510 m)

IN in this case we are talking about a road tunnel that shortens the route from the municipality of Laerdal to the other municipality of Aurland (both in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Western Norway). The tunnel is part of the European highway E16, connecting Oslo with Bergen. Construction of this tunnel began in 1995 and was completed in 2000. At that time, it became the longest road tunnel in the world, surpassing the famous Gotthard road tunnel by as much as 8 km. Above the tunnel there are mountains with an average height of about 1600 meters.
The Lärdal Tunnel has a unique feature - three large-volume artificial grottoes are chosen in it at the same distance from each other. These grottoes divide the tunnel itself into 4 approximately equal sections. This is not a whim of the architects, but the purpose of the grottoes is to relieve fatigue from drivers driving for a long time in completely monotonous tunnel conditions, and here they can stop and rest.

9. Iwate-Ichinohe, Japan (25,810 m)

The Japanese tunnel connecting the capital with the city of Aomori, at the time of its opening in 2002, it was the longest Japanese railway tunnel until it was overtaken by the Lötschberg tunnel. This tunnel is located 545 kilometers from Tokyo, halfway between Hachinohe and Morioka, and the Chohoku express trains run through it. We started thinking about its construction in 1988, and started it in 1991. The structure was ready for operation in 2000, but the line began operating only in 2002. The tunnel goes down a maximum of 200 meters.

8. Hakkoda, Japan (26,455 m)

The Hakkoda railway tunnel is only a little longer than the previous one. He was a kind of pioneer - before him, there were no long tunnels in the world through which trains could simultaneously move in different directions.

7. Taihangshan, China (27,848 m)

In 2007, a new Taihangshan tunnel was put into operation in China, passing through the thickness of the mountain range of the same name. Before the construction of the New Guan Jiao, it was the longest Chinese tunnel. It became an element of the high-speed railway that connected the capital of the eastern province of Hebei, Shijiach-Zhuang, with the capital of the adjacent Shanxi province from the west, the city of Taiyuan. If previously it took 6 hours to get from one city to another, now an hour is enough.

6. Guadarrama, Spain (28,377 m)

In the same 2007, but in Spain, the longest tunnel in the country, Guadarrama, was opened, which connected the capital of the country, Madrid, with Valladolid. It began construction in 2002, so it is obvious that this was done at a fairly fast pace. It's quite complicated technical structure, which also contains two separate tunnels. Thanks to this, trains run along it simultaneously in different directions. It is especially worth noting that high-speed trains of the AVE system are used here. After the launch of the tunnel, it became possible to get from one city to another in just a few minutes. This was especially liked by tourists, who began to visit Valladolid from the capital more often.

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5. New Guan Jiao, China (32,645 m)

This is China's longest railway tunnel. At the same time, being located, as befits an underground tunnel, it is located at a very decent height above sea level (from 3324 meters to 3381 meters). And all because it is part of the second line of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, laid in the Guan Jiao Mountains of the Chinese province of Qinghai. In fact, there are two separate one-way tunnels here. This tunnel took 7 years to build, and it was put into operation at the very end of 2014. Trains are capable of rushing through these tunnels at a speed of 160 km/h.

4. Lötschberg, Switzerland (34,577 m)

The Lötschberg railway tunnel is located on the line of the same name passing through the Alps, and it is located 400 meters deeper than the Lötschberg road tunnel. Passenger and freight trains travel through this one of the world's longest land tunnels. It passes under cities such as Bern, Frutigen, Valais and Raron. This is a fairly new tunnel, because it was completed only in 2006, and already in June of the following year it was officially opened. During its excavation, the most modern technologies drilling, so it was possible to break through it in less than two years. Now over 20 thousand Swiss people use it every week, trying to quickly get to the thermal resorts in Valais.
The arrival of Lötschberg significantly reduced traffic congestion in the area, since previously trucks and trucks had to bypass Switzerland, making a large circle just from Valais to Bern. It is curious that in the tunnel there is a source of hot underground water, which the Swiss also do not waste, but use it to heat the greenhouse, where they grow tropical fruits.

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3. Eurotunnel, France/UK (50,450 m)

This Channel Tunnel is a double-track railway tunnel that runs 39 kilometers under the English Channel. Thanks to him, the island of Great Britain was connected to the continent by rail. Since then, it has become possible to board a train in Paris and be in London in two and a quarter hours. The train stays in the tunnel itself for 20-35 minutes.
The grand opening of the tunnel took place on May 6, 1994. It was attended by the leaders of two countries - French President Francois Mitterrand and Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. The Eurotunnel holds the record for underwater tunnels and is also the longest international tunnel. Its work is managed by the Eurostar company. The American Society of Civil Engineers was full of compliments and even compared the Eurotunnel to one of the seven modern wonders of the world.

2. Seikan, Japan (53,850 m)

This incredibly long Japanese railway tunnel also has an underwater section that is 23.3 kilometers long. It goes 240 meters underground, leaving it 100 meters below the seabed. The tunnel passes under the Sangar Strait and connects Aomori Prefecture (Honshu Island) and the island of Hokkaido. It is part of the Kaikyo and Hokkaido Shinkansen of the local railway company.
In length it is second only to the Gotthard Tunnel, and in terms of its location under the seabed it is the leader in the world. The name of the tunnel contains the first hieroglyphs of the names of the cities that it connects - Amori and Hakodate, they are just pronounced differently in Japanese. The Seikan Tunnel became the second underwater railway tunnel after the Kammon Tunnel in Japan, and it connects the islands of Kyushu and Honshu under the Kammon Strait.

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1. Gotthard Tunnel, Switzerland (57,091 m)

This railway tunnel, dug in the Swiss Alps, when adding its own length with the length of pedestrian and service passages, will stretch for 153.4 kilometers. At the northern end it exits near the village of Erstfeld, and the southern exit is located near the village of Bodio. The construction of the eastern part was completed in October 2010, and the western part in March 2011, after which it became the longest railway tunnel in the world.
Thanks to its construction, trans-Alpine rail transport became possible, and north-west Italy was able to switch from more polluting road transport to cleaner and cheaper rail transport. Travel time from Zurich to Milan has been reduced by almost an hour. The tunnel was opened in June 2016. The company that controlled its construction, Alp Transit Gotthard, handed it over to the Swiss Federal Railways in fully operational condition in December of the same year, and on December 11 its commercial operation began.

Tunnels are true architectural wonders that have been developed and improved since ancient times. The tunnels probably originate from caves that ancient people used as homes. If we look to the future, to a more civilized period, we can see that tunnels are used as secret passages, usually underground. They were used to hide from enemies. Nowadays, tunnels are built for completely different purposes. In this collection I will tell you about the longest tunnels in the world and their purpose

1. So, the longest tunnel in the world at the moment is in Japan. This railway tunnel is 53,850 meters long. Just imagine how many days it will take to travel on foot before you reach the other side

The Seikan Tunnel is also the longest underwater tunnel in the world. After World War II, Japan felt the need to connect the islands of Hokkaido and Honshu, so that the country would be geographically unified. From its planning in 1946 until its official opening on March 13, 1988, it took more than 40 years to complete. Construction cost big money: ?538.4 billion, equivalent to $3.6 billion

Today, unfortunately, Seikan is not used as often as it once was because air travel is both faster and cheaper. However, this building was one of the main reasons why Japan is strong and united to this day. It is worth mentioning that this tunnel will remain the longest until 2016, when the Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland is built

2. The Channel Tunnel, or the longest international tunnel in the world, connects the United Kingdom and France with a 50,500 meter passage. The tunnel connects the cities of Folkestone in the UK and Calais in France. The tunnel also boasts the world's largest car-carrying train, the Eurotunnel Shuttle.

Construction of the Channel Tunnel was frozen for almost two hundred years from 1802, due to constant hesitation on the part of the British and political instability. Ultimately, construction began in 1988 and ended quite quickly in 1994. The Channel Tunnel was also one of the candidates for inclusion in the list of the Seven New Wonders of the World. Undoubtedly, this great structure played a key role in the unification of Britain with the mainland, although from a material point of view it still remains unprofitable

3. Compared to other tunnels Lötschberg tunnel(L?tschberg) is still very young, it was completed in 2006, and officially opened in June 2007. The Lötschberg Tunnel is the longest tunnel in the world on land, measuring 34,700 meters in length. The tunnel runs between the Swiss cantons of Bern and Valais and is used by freight and passenger trains. Thanks to the latest technologies the tunnel was built very quickly, in less than two years. Every week, more than 20,000 Swiss people use it as the shortest route to Welsh thermal spas. Thanks to L?tschberg, traffic in the region has been significantly reduced, as previously trucks had to bypass Switzerland to get from Bern to Valais. Interestingly, the heat from underground water from the tunnel heats the Tropenhaus Frutigen greenhouse, where tropical fruits are grown

4. in Norway - the longest road tunnel in the world, its length is as much as 24,000 meters, located in the county of Sogn og Fjordane. Until 1999, Switzerland's Gotthard Road Tunnel was the longest road tunnel until Laerdal was built in 2000

The Lardal tunnel was designed according to modern standards. Unlike most tunnels, Laerdal is divided into four parts, each with special lighting. The lighting effect mimics natural light at dawn and dusk. Another positive thing is that you don’t have to pay any money for travel.

Driving through tunnels always feels special, very exciting - you see how the headlights capture images and road signs, how the air makes noise while driving fast and perceive the light at the end of the tunnel with special joy. We told you about the four longest tunnels in the world, we wish you to drive through each of them and get an unforgettable experience

The longest, deepest tunnel in the world, running under the Swiss Alps, has finally opened! To mark this occasion, in this article we will look at the longest railway tunnels in the world.

So, let's go!

10. Gumzang Tunnel, South Korea - 20.3 km

(Geumjeong Tunnel)

Gumzangl is ranked tenth on the list of the longest railway tunnels in the world. It is part of the Seoul-Busan High Speed ​​Railway. A tunnel buried in the mountains connects the Nopo area with Busanjin Station in Busan.

Also, Gumzangl is the longest railway tunnel in South Korea. It is located at a depth of more than 300 m from the ground. Its width is 14 meters, height 12. The tunnel belongs to the South Korean Railway Administration.

Construction of the tunnel, which was completed in 2009, took place in three sections. The first two sites were opened in 2008. The last section, connecting Nopo-dong and Hwameong-dong, was completed in February 2009.

9. Wushaoling Tunnel, China - 21.05 km

(Wushaoling Tunnel)

Wushaoling, a railway tunnel in Gansu province in northwestern China, was the country's longest tunnel until the end of 2007. Located on the Lanzhou-Xinjiang Railway crossing the Wushaoling Mountains. After the tunnel was put into operation, the road between Lanzhou and Urumqi was shortened by 30.4 km and became completely double-track.

The tunnel consists of two parallel threads, laid at a distance of 40 meters from each other. The portal on the Lanzhou side is located at an altitude of 2663 m, the opposite portal is at an altitude of 2447 m. During the construction of the tunnel, a new Austrian tunneling method was used; the tunnel equipment allows trains to pass at speeds of up to 160 km/h. The eastern line of the Wushaoling tunnel was put into operation in March 2006, the western line in August 2006. The total construction cost was 7.8 billion yuan.

22,221 km

(Daishimizu Tunnel)

Daismizu Tunnel, Japan. Photo: Nihongarden/Wikimedia Commons

A railway tunnel on the Jōetsu Shinkansen high-speed line on the border of Gunma and Niigata prefectures.

In 1978, construction of the Dai-Shimizu Tunnel was completed. This tunnel was dug specifically for the Joetsu Shinkansen line, which was scheduled to be completed in 1982. This tunnel was the longest tunnel in the world. During construction, a fire broke out in the tunnel, resulting in very heavy smoke - 16 workers died from poisoning carbon monoxide. The Daismizu Tunnel has reduced travel time between Niigata and Tokyo to approximately one hour and forty minutes, which is three hours faster if traveled by regular line Joetsu.

In addition, during the construction of the tunnel, natural drinking water was discovered. mineral water, which is still sold in bottles to this day.

24 km

(Wienerwald Tunnel)

Wienerwald Tunnel, Austria. Photo: Line29 / Wikimedia Commons

The 13.35 kilometer long railway tunnel near Vienna, which has been in operation since December 9, 2012, runs under the northern part of the Wienerwald between Gablitz and Mauerbach. This section of the new section, with speeds of up to 250 kilometers per hour, between Vienna and St. Pölten, is part of the Austrian Western Railway.

The Vienna-St. Pölten section, the current four-way and largest railway corridor in the Westbahn, received two new high-speed branches extending far north of the original line. The largest superstructure is a tunnel that crosses the Wienerwald mountains.

11 km from the western portal of the Wienerwald Tunnel, a double-pipe tunnel (a tunnel consisting of two connected single-track pipes) was built, and the rest is a double-track single-pipe section. Construction of the single-pipe section began in the fall of 2004 using blasting and drilling. The tunnel drilling was completed two years later, structural work was completed in February 2010, and road construction began in the summer of 2010.

The Wienerwald Tunnel is only part of the tunnel complex: its eastern (Viennese) portal ends with an underground passage into a 2.2 km long tunnel with two additional lines for the old Westbahn (which has already been in operation since December 2008) and the Lainzer Tunnel - single-pipe, double-track tunnel with a length of 11.73 km, which opened in 2012). The eastern portal of the Lainzer Tunnel branches into two portals. A total of 24 km of Wienerwald and Lainzer Tunnel allow travelers along the Westbahn to visit Vienna's new main station. This tunnel is the longest tunnel in Austria.

6. Iwate-Ichinohe Tunnel, Japan - 25,810 km

(Iwate-Ichinohe Tunnel)

The Japanese Iwate-Ichinohe Overland Rail Tunnel is part of the Tohoku Shinkansen line connecting Tokyo with Aomori. When it opened in 2002, it was the longest land tunnel in the world, but was surpassed by the Swiss Lötschberg Tunnel in June 2007.

The tunnel is located 545 km from Tokyo Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen Line, halfway between Morioka and Hachinohe. Preliminary work on the construction of the tunnel began in 1988. Construction began in 1991. The tunnel began operating when the railway opened in 2002. Maximum depth about 200 m.

The tunnel passes through the hilly terrain near Mount Kitakami and Mount Ou. The Mabuchi and Kitakami rivers are located near the Tokyo Tunnel Port.

The Iwate-Ichinohe is a single-tube, double-track, horseshoe-shaped structure. Cross-sectional dimensions: 9.8 m (width) x 7.7 m (height). The tunnel rises with a 0.5% gradient from Tokyo Port for approximately 22 km and then descends with a 1% gradient to Aomori Port. During its construction it was used new method Austrian tunneling (New Austrian Tunnelling method; NATM).

26.455 km

(Hakkōda Tunnel)

Hakkoda Tunnel, Japan. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Railway tunnel total length 26,445 kilometers (16,432 mi), located in northern Japan in the central Aomori Prefecture. It extends across the Hakkyoda Range and links the village of Tenmabayashi with the city of Aomori.

The Hakkoda Tunnel is part of the Tohoku Shinkansen Northern Line and is located between Shichino-Budawa and Shin Aomori stations. Preliminary work on the tunnel began in August 1998. On February 27, 2005, it surpassed the Iwate-Ichinoe Tunnel of the same Tohoku Shinkansen line to become the world's longest surface tunnel. After just two months, this title was taken away from him by the Swiss Lötschberg Tunnel, which lost this title thanks to the Gotthard Base Tunnel that opened in 2016. However, the Lötschberg Tunnel is mostly single-track, while the Gotthard Base Tunnel is double-track, which is why it remains the longest double-track single-pipe surface railway tunnel in the world.

The tunnel began operating in 2010.

4. New Guan Jiao Tunnel, China - 32.645 km

(New Guanjiao Tunnel)

New Guan Jiao Tunnel, China. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

This double-pipe railway tunnel is located on Line 2 of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway in GuanJiao Mountains, Qinghai Province. total length The tunnel is 32.645 km (20.285 mi), making it the longest railway tunnel in China.

The China Railway First Survey and Design Institute was responsible for the design of the tunnel. The new Guan Jiao Tunnel was designed for two parallel single-track tunnels with travel speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour (99 mph). The total duration of construction was 5 years. The tunnel was built in difficult geological conditions and at high altitude, exceeding 3,300 meters (10,800 ft) above sea level. Work on its construction began in 2007 and was completed in April 2014. The tunnel was opened on December 28, 2014.

The northeastern portal of the tunnel (37.1834°N 99.1778°E) is located in Tianjun County, the southwestern portal (37.0094°N 98.8805°E) is located in Wulan County.

3. Eurotunnel / Channel Tunnel, UK-France - 50 km

(Channel Tunnel)

Eurotunnel, UK-France. Photo: 4plebs.org

Connecting the UK to mainland Europe (portals to Folkestone, Kent and Pas de Calais in northern France), the tunnel has the world's longest underwater section at 37.9 kilometers (23.5 miles).

Even though this tunnel is a miracle modern era, the idea for its construction belongs to the French engineer Albert Mathieu, who in 1802 proposed building a tunnel under the English Channel. His plans included creating an artificial island in the middle of the canal, where they could stop for Maintenance horse carriages.

“This is a megaproject. It fundamentally changed the geography of Europe and helped strengthen high-speed railway as a viable alternative to flying short distances" said Matt Sykes, tunnel expert and director of engineering company Arup.

Interesting fact: despite the fact that both the British and the French began work on creating the tunnel at the same time, the former did more work.

53,850 km

(Seikan Tunnel)

Seikan Tunnel, Japan. Photo: Bmazerolles / Wikimedia Commons

A unique feature of Japan's Seikan Tunnel is that its 23.3 kilometers (14.2 miles) section lies 140 meters (460 feet) below sea level. Until the Gotthard Base Tunnel was built, Seikan was the longest and deepest railway tunnel in the world.

It spans the Tsugaru Strait, connecting Aomori Prefecture on the island of Honshu with the island of Hokkaido. Work on the tunnel began in 1964 and was completed in 1988.

Interesting fact: In 1976, construction workers stumbled upon an area of ​​soft rock, causing water to rush into the tunnel at a rate of 80 tons per minute. The leak was neutralized only two months later.

57 km

(Gotthard Base Tunnel)

Gotthard Base Tunnel, Switzerland. Photo: Matthieu Gafsou / www.time.com

European leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and ex-president France Francois Hollande, in June 2016, attended the opening ceremony of a grandiose structure - the Gotthard Base Tunnel, during which colorful surreal scenes were demonstrated with the participation of costumed dancers, songs and fireworks.

Located at a depth of 2,300 meters (7,545 feet, almost 1.5 miles), the tunnel cuts travel time between Zurich, Switzerland and Milan by an hour.

The 57-kilometer tunnel runs between the towns of Erstfeld in the north and Bodio in the south. According to the Swiss Travel System, trains reaching speeds of up to 250 kilometers per hour (155 mph) complete the journey in 20 minutes.

Commercial operation of the tunnel began on December 11. On this day, the first regular passenger train left Zurich at 06:09 local time and arrived in Lugano at 08:17.

The Gotthard Base Tunnel took the title of the longest railway tunnel in the world from the 53.9-kilometer northern Japanese Seikan Tunnel and pushed the 50.5-kilometer tunnel between Great Britain and France into third place.

Interesting fact: during the construction of the tunnel, 3,200 kilometers of copper cable were used, the length of which would be enough from Madrid to Moscow.

A tunnel is an underground or underwater structure, the main purpose of which is to ensure the movement of traffic or the movement of water over long distances.

Since ancient times, tunnels (underground passages) have been common, although they were used mainly by people who secretly moved through them or hid from enemies.

Today, tunnels are built for various purposes, so they are classified according to their purpose: railway, road, sewer, water supply facilities and others.

The longest railway tunnel in the world

In 2017, the Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland is considered the longest railway tunnel in the world. In addition to setting a record for length, it is also defined as the deepest tunnel in the world, since the distance from the surface of the mountains in some places is equal to 2300 km.

Construction took 17 years, and the first projects appeared back in 1947. The grand opening took place on June 1, 2016, although test movements around the facility began in 2015. And since December 2016, the tunnel has been operating at full capacity.

The Gotthard Tunnel is built under St. Gotthard, a mountain pass in the Swiss Alps. Its length is equal to 57 km, and if we take into account that the tunnel consists of two parallel overpasses, then the construction mileage doubles. Along these two parallel trunks, movement occurs in the opposite direction. High-speed trains reach speeds of up to 250 km/h, freight trains – 160 km/h.

When creating the tunnel project, technologies were used to ensure maximum safety during transportation. A system for evacuating people in case of an accident has been established (one tunnel serves as an exit from another every 325 meters), and the presence of modern computer systems allows you to quickly respond to emerging problems. There are also emergency stations and shafts in the tunnel. Its construction cost $12 billion.

As of 2017, 260 freight and 65 high-speed trains pass through the tunnel per day, with an average travel time of 20 minutes.

The longest road tunnel in the world

- a country of fjords and mountains. Its beauty is undeniable, but from a practical point of view, moving around Norway is extremely difficult, since you either have to overcome mountain ranges or use a ferry even for short distances. The situation stabilized when active construction of underground facilities began in Norway.

Laerdal Tunnel (Lerdal) is the longest road tunnel in the world. Its construction began in 1995, and in 2000 the facility was already put into operation. The length of Laerdal is 24.5 km, although it will take 20 minutes to overcome it, since it is prohibited to develop high speed in the tunnel. Given the monotony of the road, special passenger safety measures were used during the design.

To ensure driver attentiveness, “curved” sections were built on the straight road, and after covering a distance of 6 km, you can relax in artificially created caves (grottoes). In the same section of the tunnel, it is planned to turn the car around if necessary. The developers paid great attention to the lighting of the object. There is white lighting along the entire length, and the caves are highlighted with blue-yellow light, reminiscent of a sunrise. There are also noise strips installed on the highway to attract the driver's attention.

In Laerdal there were no options for emergency exits, so telephones were installed at a distance of 250 meters to call emergency assistance. Fire extinguishers are located along the entire length of the route, and if an emergency does occur, activated signs “Turn to the exit” warn drivers about this. A special computer system counts cars at the entrance and exit, so in the event of an emergency it is reliably known whether the cars remained inside the tunnel.

Thanks to Lerdahl, the travel time was halved; previously it took 50 minutes to cover this distance through the mountains. However, many people prefer the “traditional” method of transportation, considering the Lärdal Tunnel to be too monotonous for travel.

The longest tunnels in Russia

The North-Muysky tunnel is considered the longest railway tunnel in Russia. Its length is equivalent to 15.3 km, and construction took 26 years, including serious unscheduled interruptions in work.

The North Muysky Tunnel is part of the Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM), its construction began in 1977, and the official opening took place in 2003. Theoretically, the service life is designed for 100 years.

The tunnel is located in a seismic zone equal to 9 points. Sometimes there were two strong earthquakes a day, followed by a cessation of construction of the facility for a long period of time. Difficulties arose due to the harsh local climate and mountainous terrain. The combination of these factors significantly complicated construction, affecting the timing and financial part. A total of 9 billion rubles were spent on the construction of the tunnel.

Today, an average of 15 trains pass through the North Muisky Tunnel, with a travel time of 15 minutes (previously this distance was covered in 1.5 hours). The train speed varies from 48 to 56 km/h.

However, difficult natural conditions in the tunnel area are under the supervision of geologists around the clock to prevent serious accidents.

If we talk about road tunnels in Russia, the leading position in terms of length is occupied by the Gimrinsky tunnel, built in Dagestan. Its length is 4303 meters, and the hourly traffic volume is 4000 cars moving along 4 different lanes.

Construction of the tunnel began in 1979, and in 1991 it gradually began to be put into operation, while construction work continued in parallel. In 2007, the tunnel was closed due to terrorist attacks, however, since 2012 it has been considered officially open again.

The Gimry tunnel is one of the most modern, since during reconstruction it was used expensive equipment from Italy, made specifically for this project. A seismic laboratory is located next to the tunnel to prevent emergency situations. Each section of the tunnel has lighting and is also equipped with automatic alarm in case of fires, telephone communication for emergency assistance, etc. The construction estimate amounted to 10 billion rubles.

In the capital of Russia, the first place in terms of length is occupied by the Lefortovo tunnel, 3.2 km long and 7 lanes for traffic. It is located in the south-eastern part of Moscow, known by the nickname “tunnel of death”.

There is a simple explanation for this nickname. The tunnel's hourly load is 3,500 cars, but during peak hours the number doubles. This factor leads to a large number fatal accidents, so the tunnel is considered the most dangerous in Russia.

The longest tunnels in Europe and new construction projects

In addition to the Gotthard Tunnel, described above, the Eurotunnel, the second longest in Europe, is of particular interest. The length of the Eurotunnel is 51 km, 39 km of which lie under the English Channel. Thanks to this tunnel, Europe is connected to Great Britain, and in America it is recognized as “one of the wonders of the world.” The average fare is 17 euros per person.

Also of great length are Lechberg in Switzerland (34 km), the Guadarrama Tunnel (28.4 km) and others. However, every year new large-scale tunnel projects appear, striving to set world records for their length.

A most interesting project The future is recognized as the Transatlantic Tunnel. Its purpose is to build a path from North America to Europe, passing under Atlantic Ocean. According to the plan, the Transatlantic Tunnel will be 88 times longer than the Gotthard Tunnel. True, by 2017 only the construction project had been developed in detail, the start of work was postponed indefinitely.

The main problem of construction is financing. Average cost estimates range from US$175 billion to US$12 trillion. Therefore, it is unknown when the planned project will be implemented in practice.

Illustration copyright AFP Image caption This photo was taken on October 15, 2010. Workers stand at a huge tunneling shield, with the help of which the tunnel was built

The longest and deepest Gotthard railway tunnel in the world opened today in Switzerland. It took almost 20 years and more than $12 billion to build.

Its permanent operation will begin in December.

Swiss authorities say the tunnel will revolutionize the transport of goods in Europe. Goods that are currently transported by millions of trucks each year will be transported by rail.

This technological marvel will provide faster and easier connections between southern and northern Europe. The tunnel will speed up the movement of goods and people and reduce pollution environment exhaust gases from cars.

Swiss authorities predict that 260 freight trains will be able to pass through the tunnel per day. 20 million passengers a year will be able to use the new highway. Travel time from Zurich to Milan will be reduced to 2 hours 50 minutes.

Conquering the Alps as part of self-identification

Until now, the longest railway tunnel in the world was considered the Japanese Seikan, 53.9 km long with an underwater fragment 23.3 km long.

Illustration copyright Reuters Image caption The Gotthard Tunnel runs under the Alps - maximum height the mountains above the tunnel are 2300 meters

The Gotthard Tunnel is also longer than the Channel Tunnel, which is 50.5 km long.

This is not only the longest tunnel in the world, it is also the deepest railway tunnel in existence: the maximum height of the mountains above the tunnel is 2300 meters. Without a powerful ventilation system, the temperature in it would reach +40 degrees.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande will be present along with Swiss officials at the tunnel's opening ceremony in Switzerland.

“This is part of the Swiss identity,” Peter Fuglisthaler, head of the Swiss Federal Department of Transport, was quoted by Reuters as saying.

“For us, conquering the Alps is the same as exploring the oceans for the Dutch,” he said.

Cost of the tunnel: $12 billion and 9 lives

The project, which cost more than $12 billion to build, was approved by the Swiss in a referendum in 1992.

Illustration copyright EPA Image caption 20 million passengers a year will be able to use the new highway

During construction of the tunnel, engineers extracted 73 different types of rocks: some were as hard as granite, others as soft as sugar. Nine workers died during construction.

The Gotthard Tunnel, completed on time and on budget, will become a mainline railway linking Rotterdam in the Netherlands with Genoa, Italy. The tunnel, consisting of two parallel tunnels, runs from the municipality of Bodio in southern Switzerland to the municipality of Erstfeld in the center of the country.

From December, when permanent operation of the tunnel begins, the journey from Zurich to Milan will take two hours and forty minutes - an hour less than usual.

Money to finance the project was taken from budget revenues from taxes on fuel and value added, and another part of the funds was a government loan, which must be repaid within 10 years.

Representatives of the Swiss bank Credit Suisse said that among the economic benefits of the Gotthard Tunnel are simplified transportation of goods and an influx of tourists.