Switzerland completes work on the world’s longest tunnel

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35 miles, 2 million truck loads of earth and £6.5 billion later: Switzerland completes work on the world’s longest tunnel 8,000 feet beneath the Alps

• The incredible 35-mile long NEAT Gotthard Base Tunnel now surpasses Japan’s 14.5-mile Seikan Tunnel
• Tunnel will transport passengers from Zurich to Milan in 2 hours and 50 minutes, shaving an hour off current time 
• With the first safety tests being under taken in October, the tunnel is due to open to the public in June 1 2016

By EMILY PAYNE 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3211503/35-mi...

Construction of the world's longest - and deepest - railway tunnel, in Switzerland, is complete.

The NEAT Gotthard Base Tunnel, when it opens to the public on June 1 2016, will transport passengers from Zurich to Milan in two hours and 50 minutes, shaving almost an hour off the current travel time.

Measuring 35 miles, it surpasses Japan’s 14.5-mile Seikan Tunnel, which connects the main island of Honshu with the northern island of Hokkaido. 

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Construction of the 35-mile tunnel, which is burrowed 8,000 beneath the Swiss alps begain in 1996 and is now almost complete

Work began on the ambitious project, which was funded by Switzerland at cost of around $10.3 billion or £6.5 billion, 20 years ago in 1996.

Over 2,000 workers were drafted in to excavate more than two million truck loads of earth from as deep as 8,000 below the surface of the earth.

Excavation involved enormous tunnel boring machines cutting through almost 100 feet of rock every day. It was a dangerous process, and tragically eight workers died during construction.

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Measuring 35 miles, it surpasses Japan’s 14.5-mile Seikan Tunnel, which connects the main island of Honshu with the island of Hokkaido

Geneva newspaper, TDG, reports that the first safety tests will take place in October. All scenarios will be considered and tested, said Marco Hirzel of Alptransit Gotthard at a press conference on August 24.  

'After opening the tunnel, it will be the safest stretch of the Swiss railway network,' Renzo Simoni, CEO of AlpTransit Gotthard, told the newspaper. 

In January, 1,000 people will be selected to take the maiden voyage. 

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When it opens to the public in June 1 2016, it will transport passengers from Zurich to Milan in two hours and fifty minutes

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Gotthard Base Tunnel: The world's longest railway tunnel

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The railway line will stay at the same altitude of 1,650ft above sea level allowing trains using the line to reach speeds of 150 miles per hour

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The construction consists of two single-track tunnels connecting Erstfeld with Bodio and is part of the AlpTransit project

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High-speed travel: The tunnel will reduce travel time between Zurich and Milan from four hours to just two-and-a-half

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Over 2,000 workers were drafted in to excavate more than two million truck loads of earth from 8,000 below the surface of the earth

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Thanks to the tunnel being almost completely flat along its whole length, trains will soon be able to travel at more than 150 miles per hour

 

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