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Channel Tunnel |
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Channel Tunnel
Channel Tunnel Map
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The Channel Tunnel (French: le tunnel sous la Manche) is a 31 mile (50.5 km) long rail tunnel beneath the English Channel at the Straits of Dover,
connecting Folkestone, Kent in England to Coquelles near Calais in northern France.
A long-standing and very expensive megaproject that saw several false starts, it was finally completed in 1994.
It is the second-longest rail tunnel in the world, with the Seikan Tunnel in Japan being longer,
but the undersea section of 24 miles (39 km) is the longest undersea tunnel in the world.
Before and during construction it was widely known by the nickname Chunnel, and today either term is correct.
The tunnel is operated by Eurotunnel (Eurotunnel plc in the UK, and Eurotunnel SA in France).
Two passenger services operate:
- Eurostar high speed passenger trains. These connect London's Waterloo station (named after the Napoleonic battle between the England and France) with the Gare du Nord station in Paris and Brussels Midi/Zuid station, with stops at Ashford, Calais-Frethun and Lille. Eurostar services will switch from Waterloo to St Pancras railway station when the new Channel Tunnel Rail Link railway line is completed between the tunnel and London in 2007.
- Eurotunnel Shuttle passenger shuttle trains. These carry cars, coaches and vans between Sangatte (Calais/Coquelles) and Folkestone. Enclosed rail wagons, some double-deck, with minor amenities permit drive-on and drive-off operation; passengers stay with their vehicles. Formerly marketed as Le Shuttle.
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