What is the longest tunnel in the world? This is a ranking of the longest railway tunnels (and road) ever built on Earth!
♪ tunnels are part of these spectacular works that highlight engineering. Built across mountains and even under seas to meet railway and road needs, world's largest tunnels have unusual measurements. The recent inauguration longer tunnel in the world in Switzerland in 2016 led us to establish an updated ranking of the longest tunnels on the planet.
Attention, this classification only concerns open rail tunnels, and excludes aqueducts, subway tunnels and canal tunnels.
10. Tunnel Iwate-Ichinohe, Japan (25.8 km)
Photo credit: JSCE Japan
The Iwate-Ichinohe tunnel is a 25.81 km long railway tunnel located north of the Tōhoku Shinkansen line linking Tokyo to Aomori to Japan . During its opening in 2002, it was the longest ground tunnel in the world, before being overtaken by the Lötschberg Base Tunnel in June 2007.
9. Hakkôda tunnel, Japan (26.45 km)
Photo credit: Wikimedia – Angaurits
Perched on 27 February 2005 and opened on 4 December 2010, the Japanese railway tunnel in Hakkôda has a length of 26.45 km. It is located north of the Tōhoku Shinkansen line.
8. Tunnel from Taihang, China (27.8 km)
Photo credit: Flickr – ANR2008
Taihang Tunnel is the third longest mountain railway tunnel in China . It is a double tube tunnel and was built to allow the Shitai Passenger Railway cross the mountains of Taihang. The left tube is 27.84 km and right is 27.85 km. The tunnel was completed on 22 December 2007.
7. Tunnel de Guadarrama, Spain (28.4 km)
Photo credit: Flickr – ADIF INTERNATIONAL
The 28.4 km Guadarrama railway tunnel, built in the Madrid-Valladolid high-speed line, is the longest railway tunnel Spain and the seventh longest railway tunnel in the world. The two-tube tunnel crosses the Guadarrama Sierra, about 45 km north of Madrid, and opened in 2007.
6. New Guanjiao Tunnel, China (32,65 km)
Photo credit: Wikimedia - Baycrest
The New Guanjiao Tunnel is a railway tunnel located in China, which is the longest high-altitude tunnel in the world, as built at more than 3300 metres above sea level.
5. Base tunnel of Lötschberg, Switzerland (34,6 km)
Photo credit: Flickr – Kecko
The Lötschberg base tunnel is a railway tunnel that connects Frutigen and Rarogne in Switzerland . This tunnel crosses the Swiss Alps about 400 metres below the existing Lötschberg tunnel. It allows for up to one hour to cross the Alps and to travel to Italy, the route Basel- Milan It'll only last four hours.
4. Tunnel Yulhyeon, South Korea (50.3 km)
Photo credit: Flickr – Jean
The Tunnel Yulhyeon is the fourth longest tunnel in the world, just behind the tunnel under the Channel. Inaugurated in 2015, the work is currently under way to complete the latest permanent facilities for the planned opening of railway services in July 2017. It will host part of the LGV Suseo en South Korea .
3. Tunnel under the Channel, France / Great Britain (50,5 km)
Photo credit: Flickr – Jérôme POUILLE
The Tunnel under the Channel, one of the largest engineering projects ever undertaken in the world, is a railway tunnel linking Folkestone to United Kingdom , with Coquelles in the north France . The tunnel carries Eurostar TGV passenger trains and the Eurotunnel shuttle for road vehicles. It is currently the tunnel with the longest submarine section of the world.
2. Tunnel du Seikan, Japan (53.9 km)
Photo credit: Flickr – Kzaral
The Seikan railway tunnel passes under the Strait of Tsugaru in Japan and connects the Aomori prefecture on Honshu Island and Hokkaido Island. The Seikan Tunnel is the deepest railway tunnel in the world with its route 140 metres below the water.
1. Saint-Gothard base tunnel, Switzerland (57.1 km)
Photo credit: Flickr – sanpani
Launched into service on 11 December 2016, the base tunnel of Saint-Gothard became the longest tunnel in the world with 57.1 km. Its main aim is to facilitate exchanges between the north and south of Europe, especially for freight, and to move the cargo volumes from the road to the rail to reduce fatal accidents and environmental damage caused by a growing number of heavyweights. The colossal work required 17 years of work and cost nearly 11 billion euros.
Bonus: Lærdal Tunnel, Norway (24.5 km), the longest road tunnel in the world
Photo credit: Flickr – Roman Königshofer
The Lærdal tunnel is a 24.5 km road tunnel from Lærdal to Aurland in Norway . Since its opening in 2000, it has been the longest road tunnel in the world. The tunnel design takes into account the constraint of the crossing for drivers. The tunnel is distinguished by its three large caves dug into the mountain, which break the routine, providing a soothing and luminous view.
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