Tunnels have always been considered indispensable buildings necessary for a safe passage or passage underground. But if earlier such architectural masterpieces helped people to quietly penetrate the territory of the enemy, today their construction is connected with other goals. At the same time, they differ in structure, location and length. About what are the longest tunnels in the world, we decided to tell you today.
The longest Japanese tunnel
The longest to date is the railway tunnel located in the Land of the Rising Sun. It is called Seikan, which is translated from Japanese as "The magnificent sight." The tunnel has a very impressive size and even has a part hidden under water. So, its total length is 53.85 km, and the underwater fragment corresponds to a length of 23.3 km. That is why, in addition to the title of one of the largest land structures, Seikan also has another title - the longest underwater tunnel in the world.
The structure itself, the construction of which spent at least 40 years, was erected in 1988. It contains two stations. However, despite the full power of the building, currently Seikan is not used as often as before. According to analysts, this is due to an increase in the cost of travel by rail.
Seikan is the longest railway tunnel in the world , the depth of which is 240 m. This wonderful creation of man is located under the famous Sangar Strait. According to the designers, the tunnel unites the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido.
Few people know that the typhoon became a kind of impetus that led to the creation of this giant, as a result of which 5 passenger ferries crashed. As a result of this disaster, more than 1,150 tourists, including crew members, died on board only one of them.
The longest and land connection in the world
The longest tunnels in the world can be conditionally divided into the following types:
- aboveground;
- underground;
- automobile, or road;
- railway;
- underwater.
One of the longest land tunnels is Lamberg, once built in Switzerland. Its length is 34 km. Trains can easily travel along it, sometimes accelerating to a speed of 200 km / h. It is noteworthy that this building helps Swiss travelers to arrive in one of the most popular resort areas of the country - Valle, in a couple of hours. According to experienced tourists, it is here that there are numerous thermal springs.
It is interesting that, in addition to its main task, Lamberg, like the other longest tunnels in the world, performs a number of others. In particular, near the building there are warm underground waters that help heat the Tropenhaus Frutigen - the nearby greenhouse and tropical crops that grow on its territory.
One of the largest automobile subways
The longest road tunnel in the world - Lerdalsky. This 24.5 km long building is a kind of connecting bridge between the municipalities of Airland and Lerdal, located in the western part of Norway. Moreover, the Lerdal tunnel is considered a continuation of the famous E16 highway, which is located between Bergen and Oslo.
The construction of the famous tunnel began in mid-1995, and it ended closer to 2000. From that moment, the building was recognized as one of the longest automobile subways, leaving behind the famous Gotthard tunnel for as much as 8 km.
It is interesting that the construction passes through the mountains, whose height is above 1600 m. Thanks to the exact calculation of the architects, the experts managed to reduce the load from drivers moving through the tunnel. And this was achieved by creating three additional grottoes equidistant from each other. At the same time, these artificial caves divide the free space under the building into four long sections. Here is such an unusual and longest tunnel in the world.
Third longest railway tunnel
The Eurotunnel is considered to be the third in length among other subways passing through the railway tracks. This building passes under the English Channel and unites the UK with part of continental Europe. With it, everyone can come from Paris to London in just a couple of hours. Inside the underground pipe, the train remains on average for 20-35 minutes.
The grand opening of the Eurotunnel took place in May 1994. Despite the fact that the construction of this underground corridor took a lot of money, the world community recognized it as a miraculous masterpiece. Therefore, the building was attributed to one of the modern wonders of the world. According to preliminary estimates, this longest tunnel in the world will go on self-sufficiency only after 1000 years.
The longest tunnel in the Alps
Another incredible underground corridor that has not lost ground for more than half a century is the Simplonsky Tunnel. It is he who is considered the most successful link between the city of Domodossola (Italy) and Brig (Switzerland). In addition, the building itself has a convenient geographical position, as it crosses the famous Orient Express line and touches one of the lines in the direction of Paris-Istanbul.
Incredibly, the Simplonsky Tunnel has its own story. These walls remember a lot, for example, that during the Second World War, the entrance and exit from it were mined. However, an unauthorized explosion was avoided thanks to the help of local partisans. Currently, the subway consists of two portals with a length of 19803 and 19823 m. Now you know where the longest tunnel in the world.
Unfinished "monster" in the Alps
In the Alps there is also an unfinished Gotthard tunnel, which is called a real monster of modern architectural structures. This titanium, which is about 57 km long, is comfortably located in friendly Switzerland. According to the project developers themselves, the main goal of the tunnel is to safely transport goods and passengers through the Alps. In addition, it can be used to reduce the time of a three-hour trip from Zurich to Milan to two hours and fifty minutes.
And although the Gotthard Tunnel is not yet finished, it is now breaking records in the amount of funds spent. According to one foreign publication, to date, the construction of an underground corridor cost its owners $ 10.3 billion. The opening of one of the longest railway tunnels is planned to be held by 2017.
The longest tunnels in the world: submarine link between Japan and South Korea
The South Korean government, together with the Japanese, has developed a plan to build a tunnel, 182 km long. This decision was made with the aim of increasing trade and accelerating transport links between the two countries. This project, according to experts, will be grandiose. And although its construction is just beginning, developers, engineers and architects have already faced a lot of problems. In particular, it is not yet clear how the rescue system will work if a sudden accident occurs.
The longest and most expensive tunnel in the world
The longest car tunnel, where you can see eight lanes of the highway at once, is considered the Big Boston. However, its amazing structure and design, no doubt, fade before the amount that had to be paid to the customers of this building.
According to preliminary data, the total budget spent on the construction of the tunnel exceeded $ 14.6 billion. But the contractors failed to meet this amount, so the additional daily expenses amounted to about $ 3 million. During the construction of the Great Boston Tunnel, over 150 modern cranes worked. Moreover, more than 5,000 employees participated in the process.
The longest tunnel in all of Spain
Spain also boasts Guadarama, a long land tunnel linking Valladolid with Madrid. Its length is only 28.37 km. The opening of this building occurred in the recent 2007. Later they spoke of Guadrama as the largest architectural work in Spain.
Large underground tunnel in Japan
Japan is famous for its underground and elevated buildings, among which there is a large railway tunnel Hakkoda. Its total duration is about 26.5 km. Since the opening of this building to the present, many years have passed. But he still continues to be one of the most unique spacious walkways, along which two trains can pass at once.