World's longest train tunnel opens December 11 in Switzerland

The tunnel reaches a maximum depth of 2,300 meters below the Gotthard massif in the Swiss Alps.

AFP Relaxnews

After its inauguration in June, the Gotthard Base Tunnel will enter into service Sunday, December 11, becoming the world's longest train tunnel and knocking Japan's Seikan Tunnel into second place.

Covering a stretch of 57km (35.5 miles), the Gotthard Base Tunnel is longer than the Japan's Seikan Tunnel (53.85km or 33.5 miles) and the Channel Tunnel linking Britain and France (50.5km or 31.4 miles). The project took 17 years to complete and is unique due to its depth, with the tunnel reaching a maximum 2,300 meters beneath the Gotthard massif in the Swiss Alps.

The dual-track tunnel links northern German-speaking Switzerland with the southern Italian-speaking part of the country, connecting Erstfeld with Biasca. It will cut half an hour from journey times between Zurich and Lugano, now possible in two hours and eight minutes, which is equivalent to travel times from Zurich to Lausanne. Trains will travel at a maximum speed of 249km/h (155mph) and spend around 17 minutes in the tunnel.

Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland

As well as high-speed passenger trains, goods trains will also be using the new tunnel in order to reduce traffic on road routes. Tickets on the Gotthard Base Tunnel route won't cost any more than travel via the existing Gotthard panoramic rail route, which opened in 1882 and will remain in service. Both routes are included in "Swiss Travel Pass" and "Eurail Pass" schemes.

The project cost 12.2 billion CHF (approx. 12 billion USD)