The Channel Tunnel reaches its deepest point at 75 meters (246 feet) below sea level, running through chalk marl strata beneath the English Channel, with its lowest point approximately 45 meters below the seabed itself. This feat of engineering connects the UK and France, allowing for efficient train travel under the sea.
How deep is the Channel Tunnel? At its deepest, the tunnel is 75 metres (246 feet) below the sea level. That's the same as 107 baguettes balancing on top of each other. The English Channel is much deeper than the tunnel, with its deepest point measuring 175 meters (574 feet) below sea level.
How did they build the Eurotunnel without water getting in?
They built the Eurotunnel without massive flooding by digging deep under the seabed in strong chalk, using giant waterproof Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) that simultaneously excavated and lined the tunnel with concrete rings, and by injecting grout to seal cracks, with some water leakage managed by pumps and drainage. Key methods included creating pressure-balanced tunnels, using specialized TBMs to manage wet conditions, and ensuring the tunnel structure could withstand pressure, even allowing for controlled leakage.
The Channel Tunnel is the longest undersea tunnel in the world: its section under the sea is 37km long. It is actually composed of three tunnels, each 50km long, bored at an average 40m below the sea bed. They link Folkestone (Kent) to Coquelles (Pas-de-Calais).
How the world's longest underwater tunnel was built - Alex Gendler
Can cars go under the chunnel?
Can I drive my car through the Channel Tunnel? No, you cannot drive your car through the Channel Tunnel. Instead, you must board the LeShuttle service with your vehicle, which boards at the Channel Tunnel terminals in Folkestone and Calais.
Yes, Eurotunnel (Getlink Group), the operator, has been consistently profitable and generates significant revenue, reporting record results in recent years with strong growth in both passenger (Eurostar) and freight (Shuttle) traffic, leading to healthy profits and cash flow. After significant restructuring in the early 2000s, the company turned profitable, paying dividends since 2009, and has seen continuous growth, with record revenues in 2023 driven by increased travel and energy market contributions.
The construction of undersea tunnels is an extremely risky endeavor that is vulnerable to water seepage and gushing due to the high water pressure, complex geological conditions, and pore water trapped in unstable rocks.
How long are you underwater on the Eurostar? It takes around 35 minutes for the Eurostar to cross the 23-mile underwater stretch of the Channel Tunnel.
A Texas congressman is quietly helping him. For years, experts in Houston have been studying the idea of building massive tunnels under the area to divert floodwaters and save lives and property. Now, Elon Musk wants a piece of the project.
Each submitting company had a set of requirements to meet within their proposals: it had to provide a plan to raise the funds to build the project, a plan to operate the link once building work was completed, and a spec that gave the finished link a life span of at least 120 years.
Eurotunnel, a Getlink group company, has proudly operated the Channel Tunnel since 1994. Each year, we enable the smooth transit of nearly 8 million passengers and over one million freight trucks through our LeShuttle and LeShuttle Freight services.
The English Channel is a narrow strip of water that separates England from France, and the swim across it is one of the most iconic open water swims in the world.
The Channel Tunnel — also known as the 'Chunnel' and the Eurotunnel — is the longest undersea tunnel in the world at 50.45km (31.5mi) long. Of those, 37.9km (23.5mi) are under the English Channel. It was opened in May 1994 by Queen Elizabeth II and French President François Mitterrand.
Moisture can seep into the outside walls of a tunnel causing damage and leaking inside the tunnel. Ceramic tile on the interior surface of a tunnel can be part of a waterproof installation system to help keep water from making its way through the walls and inside of the tunnel.
The Greenwich Foot Tunnel crosses beneath the River Thames in East London, linking Greenwich on the south bank with Millwall on the north. Approximately 4,000 people use the tunnel each day. It opened in 1902.
Footage shot in the tunnel showed water gushing from a pipe and submerging the tracks. Thames Water said it believed the flood was caused by a “fire control system and not a Thames Water pipe”. On Saturday afternoon, engineers working in the tunnel said the volume of water had been “unprecedented”.
In French, the channel is called La Manche (the sleeve). The English Channel is 350 miles (560 kilometers) long. At its widest point it is 150 miles (240 kilometers) across. At its narrowest it is only 21 miles (34 kilometers) across.
Has anyone ever walked through the Channel tunnel?
A 38 year old South African man, Lance Dyer, was arrested by French police on 09 October 2005 after he walked through the Channel Tunnel between Folkenstone in England and Calaise in France in his flip flops. Trains travelling at speed of 100 mph pass through the tunnel regularly.
For over 60 years, Japan's Shinkansen, or bullet train, has set the global gold standard in high-speed rail — with a perfect safety record. Since its launch in 1964, more than 10 billion passengers have ridden the network without a single fatality from a crash or derailment.
