The tunnels are a real miracle of architecture, which dates back to quite ancient times. Usually, before people They used underground tunnels to hide from enemies and secretly move from one place to another. Today, tunnels are built for completely different purposes - they make it possible to shorten the route of a train or car, and also connect different countries. And there are such underground structures, which are of considerable size. So what are the longest tunnels in the world, and where are they located?
Seikan Railway Tunnel
This tunnel, located in Japan and connecting the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido, is currently the longest in the world - its length is 53,900 meters. It’s hard to imagine how long it will take to travel on foot from the beginning to the end of the Seikan Tunnel. Moreover, it is considered the longest not only among railway tunnels, but also among underwater tunnels. The longest tunnel in the world began its work in 1988. Approximately $360,000,000 was spent on its construction.
Nowadays, this tunnel is not used for its intended purpose as often as it was previously. The reason for this is the great popularity of airlines, which also allow people to save time and cash. But we can confidently say that construction of this building led to the fact that Japan is still strong and one country. It is worth noting that Seikan is the longest in the world until it is put into operation Gotthard tunnel, which is under construction in Switzerland.
Gotthard railway tunnel
This structure will be the longest tunnel in the world, as its length will be 57,000 meters. The construction of this structure has been going on for 14 years and it is planned that trains will begin traveling through it in 2017. It was laid under the Saint Gotthard mountain pass, where the name of the tunnel actually came from. Its main purpose is to communicate across the Alps by rail.
The Gotthard Tunnel is designed in such a way that trains move through it in the opposite direction. It is assumed that high-speed trains will travel through this tunnel at a speed of 250 km/h, and freight trains will move at a speed of at least 160 km/h. Well, while this tunnel is still preparing to become the longest in the world, let’s look at other tunnels that are impressive in their length.
The length of this tunnel, located under the English Channel and connecting Great Britain (Folkestone) and France (Calais), is 50,500 meters. Its construction began back in 1802, but was stopped due to political situation and hesitation on the British side. But in 1988, construction of the structure was resumed, and in 1994 the railway tunnel began to operate. The world's largest train carrying cars, called the Eurotunnel Shuttle, moves through the tunnel.
Although the Eurotunnel is inferior to the world's longest Seikan Tunnel in total length, it has a much larger underwater section - approximately 39,000 meters, which is 14,700 meters longer than the Seikan underwater section. The Eurotunnel, although it has a special role in creating communication between Britain and the mainland, but with economic point vision is considered disadvantageous.
Mountain Tunnel Lötschberg
It is the longest land tunnel, which, compared to other similar structures, is quite young, since it was built in 2006 and began to be used in 2007. It took only two years to build it and all this thanks to innovative technologies, which were used in this case.
This Swiss tunnel has a length of 34,700 meters. Both passenger and freight trains travel along it. This tunnel allows tourists to the shortest path to get to the Welsh thermal spas - this way more than 20,000 Swiss residents visit these resorts every week.
Automotive Laerdal tunnel
This tunnel, located in Norway, is the longest among automobile tunnels. Its length is 24,500 meters. This tunnel was developed according to modern standards. It consists of four parts, each of which is illuminated in a special way - the effect of natural lighting is ensured (if it is dawn outside, then in the tunnel there will also be an imitation of morning lighting, and if it is sunset, then there will be lighting similar to twilight light). On a positive note is also the fact that you don’t have to pay to travel through the tunnel - it’s absolutely free.
Tunnels have always been considered irreplaceable structures necessary for safe passage or passage underground. But if earlier such architectural masterpieces helped people quietly penetrate enemy territory, today their construction is connected with other goals. Moreover, they differ from each other in structure, location and length. About what the most long tunnels in the world, we decided to tell you today.
The longest Japanese tunnel
The longest railway tunnel to date is considered to be located in the Country rising sun. It is called Seikan, which means “Majestic Spectacle” in Japanese. The tunnel is quite impressive in size and even has a part hidden under water. Thus, its total length is 53.85 km, and the underwater fragment corresponds to a length of 23.3 km. That is why, in addition to the title of one of the largest land structures, Seikan also has another title - the longest underwater tunnel in the world.
The structure itself, which took at least 40 years to build, was erected in 1988. It contains two stations. However, despite the power of the building, Seikan is currently not used as often as before. According to analysts, this is due to an increase in railway fares.
Seikan is a tunnel whose depth is 240 m. This marvelous creation of man is located under the famous. According to the designers, the tunnel unites Hokkaido.
Few people know that the original impetus that led to the creation of this giant was a typhoon, as a result of which 5 passenger ferries were wrecked. As a result of this disaster, more than 1,150 tourists, including crew members, died on board just one of them.
The longest and most land connection in the world
The longest tunnels in the world can be divided into the following types:
- aboveground;
- underground;
- automobile, or road;
- railway;
- underwater.
Lamberg, once built in Switzerland, is considered one of the longest above-ground tunnels. Its length is 34 km. Trains can easily travel along it, sometimes reaching speeds of 200 km/h. It is noteworthy that this structure helps Swiss travelers arrive in one of the most popular resort areas of the country - Valle - in a couple of hours. According to experienced tourists, this is where numerous thermal springs are located.
It is interesting that, in addition to its main task, Lamberg, like the other longest tunnels in the world, also performs a number of others. In particular, near the building itself there are warm ones that help to heat Tropenhaus Frutigen - a nearby greenhouse and tropical crops growing on its territory.
One of the largest automobile subways
The longest road tunnel in the world is Lerdal. This 24.5 km long structure is a kind of connecting bridge between the municipalities of Airland and Laerdal, located in western Norway. Moreover, the Lärdal tunnel is considered a continuation of the famous E16 highway, which is located between Bergen and Oslo.
Construction of the famous tunnel began in mid-1995, and it ended closer to 2000. From that moment on, the structure was recognized as one of the longest automobile subways, leaving behind the famous Gotthard Tunnel by as much as 8 km.
Interestingly, the building passes through mountains whose height is above 1600 m. Thanks accurate calculation architects, experts managed to reduce the load on drivers moving through the tunnel. And this was achieved by creating three additional grottoes, equidistant from each other. At the same time, these artificial caves divide the free space under the building into four long sections. This is such an unusual and longest tunnel in the world.
Third longest railway tunnel
The third longest among other subways passing through railways, considered the Eurotunnel. This structure runs under the English Channel and unites Great Britain with part continental Europe. With its help, anyone can travel from Paris to London in just a couple of hours. The train remains inside the underground pipe for an average of 20-35 minutes.
The grand opening of the Eurotunnel took place in May 1994. Despite the fact that a lot of money was spent on the construction of this underground corridor, global community recognized it as a miraculous masterpiece. Therefore, the building was classified as one of modern miracles Sveta. By preliminary estimates this longest tunnel in the world will become self-sustaining only after 1000 years.
Longest tunnel in the Alps
Another incredible underground corridor that has not lost its position for over half a century is the Simplon Tunnel. It is he who is considered the most successful link between the city of Domodossola (Italy) and Brig (Switzerland). In addition, the building itself has a convenient geographical position, as it crosses the famous Orient Express route and affects one of the lines in the Paris-Istanbul direction.
Incredibly, the Simplon Tunnel has its own history. These walls remember a lot, for example, the fact that during the Second World War the entrance and exit from it were mined. However, an unauthorized explosion was avoided thanks to the help of local partisans. Currently, the subway consists of two portals 19803 and 19823 m long. Now you know where the longest tunnel in the world is.
Unfinished “monster” in the Alps
There is also an unfinished one in the Alps, which is called a real monster of modern architectural buildings. This titanium, whose length is about 57 km, is comfortably located in friendly Switzerland. According to the project developers themselves, main goal the tunnel is safe crossing cargo and passengers across the Alps. In addition, it can be used to reduce the three-hour journey from Zurich to Milan to two hours and fifty minutes.
And although the Gotthard tunnel in this moment It's not finished yet, it's already breaking records for the amount of money spent. As reported in one foreign publication, to date the construction of the underground corridor has cost its owners $10.3 billion. The opening of one of the longest railway tunnels is planned for 2017.
The longest tunnels in the world: undersea connection between Japan and South Korea
The South Korean government, together with the Japanese, has developed a plan to build a tunnel 182 km long. This decision was made in order to increase trade turnover and speed up transport connections between the two countries. This project, according to experts, will be grandiose. And although its construction is just beginning, developers, engineers and architects have already had to face a lot of problems. In particular, it is not yet clear how the rescue system will work if a random accident suddenly occurs.
The longest and most expensive tunnel in the world
The longest car tunnel, where you can see eight lanes of the highway at once, is considered Greater Boston. However, its amazing structure and design undoubtedly pale in comparison to the amount that the customers of this building had to pay.
According to preliminary data, total budget, spent on the construction of the tunnel exceeded 14.6 billion dollars. But the contractors were unable to meet this amount, so additional daily costs amounted to about $3 million. More than 150 modern cranes worked during the construction of the Great Boston Tunnel. Moreover, more than 5,000 employees participated in the process itself.
The longest tunnel in all of Spain
Spain also boasts Guadarama, a long land tunnel that connects Valladolid with Madrid. Its length is only 28.37 km. The opening of this building took place in 2007. Later they started talking about Guadarama as the largest architectural work in Spain.
Large underground tunnel in Japan
Japan is famous for its underground and above-ground buildings, including the large Hakkoda railway tunnel. His total duration is about 26.5 km. Many years have passed since the opening of this building until now. But it continues to be one of the most unique spacious passages, along which two trains can pass at once.
As you know, the shortest path from point A to point B is a straight line. But what to do if it is impossible to pave the road in a straight line because of a mountain, river or sea blocking the path? This problem is often solved by building a tunnel underground. Modern tunnels represent a real challenge to nature, they complex design is a masterpiece of engineering. In addition, some tunnels are also distinguished by unusual appearance, due to the features of the landscape or the imagination of the architect. Here is a selection of the most impressive tunnels from around the world.
10 PHOTOS
The material was prepared with the support of the site les-kodru.com.ua - environmentally friendly materials for construction. Building houses is not that difficult. like the construction of tunnels, but it also requires careful selection good materials. One of these is deck board, used in the construction of verandas, terraces and gazebos.
The project to create a tunnel under the Bosphorus Strait connecting the European and Asian parts of Istanbul started in 2004 and cost the state $3.5 billion. Total length The tunnel is 13.6 km long. Interestingly, sections of the tunnel, which are located 60 meters below sea level, have flexible connections to absorb the energy of tremors. The name "Marmaray" comes from the Turkish words "Marmara", meaning Sea of Marmara, and "ray", meaning rail.
The Eisenhower Road Tunnel is notable for being one of the tallest tunnels in the world. Its height above sea level is 3,401 meters.
A railway tunnel that runs through the Alps and provides freight transport from the north to the west of the country. At the moment it is the longest railway tunnel in the world - its total length is 57.1 km. Although construction work has already been completed, the opening of the tunnel is planned only in June of this year.
This above-ground railway tunnel is an amazing botanical phenomenon. The arched green tunnel was created not by human hands, but by a natural interweaving of trees and bushes. The Tunnel of Love is a popular place of pilgrimage for tourists, especially couples in love. In 2014, Japanese director Akiyoshi Imazaki shot the film “Klevan: Tunnel of Love,” the plot of which is directly related to the Ukrainian tunnel.
The railway tunnel under the English Channel connecting France and Great Britain. The tunnel is approximately 51 km long, but you can travel from Paris to London via the Eurotunnel TGV in just 2 hours and 15 minutes.
This tunnel, which runs 647 meters under the Huangpu River and connects the Bund and Pudong districts, is very popular among tourists. The fact is that the Bund tunnel is not so much a means of transportation as an exciting attraction for entertainment. Its optical technology combined with musical accompaniment makes traveling through the Bund Tunnel an unforgettable experience.
Tunnel in the rock, made during king of the Jews Hezekiah to provide the city with water. It served to supply water from the spring of Gion to the Pond of Siloam. Today, a visit to the Siloam Tunnel is included in the program of most excursions in Jerusalem. The tunnel itself is included in the City of David archaeological park complex.
This tunnel, carved into the slopes of the Bernese Alps, opens directly onto the Aletsch Glacier, located next to the beautiful peaks of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau mountains. As you exit the Jungfraujoch Tunnel, you will immediately be able to admire a dizzying panorama of the landscape of Switzerland, France and Germany.
The Guoliang Road Tunnel is a real landmark in China. The tunnel, about 1200 meters long and only 4 meters wide, was built by the 12th local residents. Interesting feature The tunnel is that it is partially open - this was done for the purpose of lighting.
The longest road tunnel in the world, the Lærdal Tunnel runs through the mountains and is part of the highway between Oslo and Bergen. The total length of the tunnel is 24.5 km.
March 1, 1880 and the construction of the railway was completed tunnel at the pass Saint Gotthard in Switzerland - the most complex engineering structure of those times, which became a symbol of the subjugation of nature by man. And today we will talk about several the world's greatest and most significant tunnels- from the already mentioned Saint Gotthard in the Alps to the Marmaray line under the Bosphorus, which opened in October 2013, each of which marked a new milestone in the development of their country.
Gotthard tunnel. Switzerland
The Saint Gotthard pass in the Alps is known in Russia thanks to the feat of the commander Alexander Suvorov, who crossed it with great difficulty and losses in the fall of 1799. And in 1880, it became much easier to overcome the mountains in this area, because the construction of a 15-kilometer railway tunnel, one of the most famous such structures in the world, was completed there. It significantly simplified the movement of goods across Europe, and also became one of the guarantees economic well-being Switzerland.
In 1980, not far from the century-old railway tunnel, a automotive length 16.9 kilometers. And now construction is underway even more large-scale construction at the Saint Gotthard Pass - a 57-kilometer railway tunnel, which, when commissioned in 2017, will become the longest in the world.
Seikan Tunnel. Japan
In 1954 in Japan there was tragic event– during an unprecedented storm in the Sangar Strait between the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido, five passenger ferries sank, resulting in the death of more than a thousand people. And this was far from the first such disaster in this place - ships sailing between the two largest Japanese islands died regularly for centuries. To finally solve this problem, the Japanese government decided to build a tunnel under the strait.
Work on this structure began in 1964 and lasted more than twenty years. Opened in 1988, the 54-kilometer Seikan became the longest railway tunnel in the world and still holds this record.
In 1988, about 3 million passengers used the services of the Sangar tunnel, in 1999 - 2 million, and in 2009 - a little more than a million. For comparison, the annual volume of passenger traffic between Honshu and Hokkaido is tens of times greater. But as a freight road, this tunnel has no worthy competitors.
Eurotunnel. France-UK
It’s hard to believe, but the idea of building a tunnel between France and Great Britain appeared in the late eighteenth - early nineteenth centuries, and Napoleon Bonaparte himself acted as the “customer” of the project. But real progress in this direction began only after the Second World War, and construction itself started only in December 1987.
The grand opening of the Eurotunnel took place on May 6, 1994, with the participation of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and French President Jacques Chirac. The tunnels (three in total: two transport and one technical) are used as railway tunnels - they are used in both directions high speed trains TGV Eurostar and Eurotunnel Shuttle connecting London with Paris and Brussels. The Eurotunnel accounts for 67% of passenger traffic between France and England.
Laerdal tunnel. Norway
Built in Norway in 1995-2000, the Laerdal tunnel can be called the most beautiful of its kind. engineering structure on the planet. In addition, this is the longest road tunnel in the world, because its length is 24.5 kilometers.
In order to at least slightly diversify the route of progress and relieve stress for drivers, the architects who worked on the Lärdal Tunnel divided it into four approximately equal parts with three artificial caves. Each of these grottoes has its own lighting color, which gives this engineering object originality and beauty. You can also stop in these caves, park in special pits, and rest a little.
Oresund Bridge. Denmark, Sweden
It's not entirely logical that the list of the world's greatest tunnels includes a bridge connecting two Scandinavian countries- Denmark and Norway. But no error in this fact no, because of the almost 12 kilometers of length of this structure, 4050 meters are underground.
The architects of the Oresund Bridge took such an extraordinary solution for the reason that it is in this place that the glide path of planes heading to Copenhagen Airport passes, and it cannot be blocked. And ships sailing through the Öresund Strait also need space for successful navigation.
Severomuysky tunnel. Russia
On December 5, 2003, a historical event for all of Russia took place in Buryatia - a Severomuysky tunnel 15 kilometers long 343 meters. It became not only the longest in Russia, but also marked the end of construction Baikal-Amur Mainline, the legendary BAM - one of greatest construction projects Soviet times.
The construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline began back in 1938, in 1974 it was declared an all-Union shock Komsomol construction project, they began writing songs and making films about it, and was completed to its intended extent only in 2003. During the creation of the BAM, 10 tunnels were dug, the largest and Severomuisky became an important one.
Marmaray. Türkiye
In October 2013, an event occurred that humanity had dreamed about for centuries, but did not believe in the reality of its implementation until the very last moment. The Marmaray railway tunnel was opened in Istanbul, connecting the European and Asian shores of the Bosphorus Strait.
After its opening, Marmaray was integrated into the Istanbul metro system as a separate line. It is also planned to be used for transcontinental freight and passenger transport - the tunnel will become part of a global railway project to create a single track infrastructure from the UK to South Korea.
