The Eurotunnel (Channel Tunnel) is an underground tunnel that runs beneath the seabed of the English Channel. While 37.9 km of its 50.5 km length is submerged under the sea, it is technically bored through rock beneath the seabed, not floating in the water.
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.
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).
Water is drained from the tunnels by large submersible pumps, and reliable operation is critical - there are more than 200 train movements in each direction every day. Eurotunnel engineers sought a high-quality solution to control all pumping processes during excavation.
How the world's longest underwater tunnel was built - Alex Gendler
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.
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.
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.
Why is there no tunnel between the UK and Ireland?
That said, the physical challenges of the Irish Sea and the North Channel must not be underestimated. Both a tunnel and bridge option are technically feasible to construct, but they would be the longest undersea tunnel or the longest span bridge ever built.
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”.
Eurotunnel (the Channel Tunnel infrastructure) is owned and operated by the public company Getlink SE, formerly Groupe Eurotunnel, which manages the tunnel, the LeShuttle (vehicle shuttle) service, and provides access for Eurostar and freight trains. Getlink is a European company listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange.
Has there ever been any accidents on the Eurotunnel?
Yes, the Channel Tunnel (Eurotunnel) has experienced significant incidents, primarily major fires on freight trains in 1996 and 2008, and numerous technical breakdowns, but not a catastrophic passenger train crash in the main tunnel itself, though a smaller Eurostar derailment happened in Italy. Fires have caused extensive damage and closures, while breakdowns often lead to lengthy passenger evacuations through the service tunnel, as seen in incidents in 2016 and 2022, but without fatalities in the tunnel itself.
Pull over into the left-hand lane, stop and switch on your hazard warning lights. If you have entered the tunnel and there is smoke or fire ahead of you, then pull over to the left-hand side and stop. Switch off the engine, leave the key in the ignition and evacuate the vehicle.
The Ted Williams Tunnel doubles Boston's traffic capacity under Boston Harbor to Logan Airport from four lanes to eight. The 2.6 km (1.6 mile), $1.3 billion tunnel, includes a 1.2 km (3/4 mile) underwater section consisting of tubes placed in a trench dredged on the harbor floor.
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.
How long do you stay in your car on the Eurotunnel?
If you are travelling on LeShuttle, which uses the Channel Tunnel, you stay in your car during the 35 minute journey from Calais to Folkestone. Once your car is loaded onto the deck of its shuttle and your crossing starts, you can leave your car to stretch your legs or use the on board toilets.
The Safety Authority in charge of maintaining the Channel Tunnel and its transport methods is made up of independent experts and the tunnel itself is designed to be some of the safest infrastructure in the world.
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.
Mr Bushby, who wants access to a service tunnel separate to that used by the trains, said: "If I have to swim across, I obviously will. But it will be colder than the Caspian." Last year, he completed a 186-mile (300km) swim across the Caspian Sea – the first person to do so.
