Tunnels have always been considered indispensable structures necessary for safe passage or passage underground. But if earlier such architectural masterpieces helped people quietly penetrate the territory of the enemy, today their construction is associated with other goals. However, they differ from each other 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 railway tunnel is currently considered to be located in the Land of the Rising Sun. It is called Seikan, which means "Majestic Spectacle" in Japanese. 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 has another title - the longest underwater tunnel in the world.
The structure itself, which took at least 40 years to build, was built in1988. It contains two stations. However, despite the power of the building, Seikan is not currently used as often as it used to be. According to analysts, this is due to the increase in rail fares.
Seikan is the world's longest railway tunnel, the depth of which is 240 m. This marvelous human creation is located under the famous Sangara Strait. As planned by the designers, the tunnel connects the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido.
Few people know that a typhoon, as a result of which 5 passenger ferries crashed, became a kind of impetus that led to the creation of this giant. As a result of this disaster, over 1150 tourists, including crew members, died on board only one of them.
The longest and longest land connection in the world
The longest tunnels in the world can be conditionally divided into the following types:
- overground;
- underground;
- road, or road;
- rail;
- underwater.
Lamberg, once built in Switzerland, is considered one of the longest land tunnels. Its length is 34 km. Trains can easily move 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 numerous thermal springs are located.
Interestingly, besidesits main task, Lamberg, like the other longest tunnels in the world, performs a number of others. In particular, warm groundwater is located near the building itself, which helps to heat the Tropenhaus Frutigen, a nearby greenhouse and tropical crops growing on its territory.
One of the largest car subways
The longest road tunnel in the world is Lerdal. This building with a length of 24.5 km is a kind of connecting bridge between the municipalities of Airland and Laerdal, located in the western part of Norway. Moreover, the Lerdal tunnel is considered a continuation of the well-known 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. Since then, the building has been 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 building passes through the mountains, the height of which is over 1600 m. Thanks to the precise calculation of the architects, the experts managed to reduce the burden on 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 structure into four long sections. Here is such an unusual and longest tunnel in the world.
The third longest railway tunnel
The Eurotunnel is considered the third longest among other subways passing through the railway tracks. This structure passes under the English Channel and unites the UK with part of continental Europe. With its help, everyone can come from Paris to London in just a couple of hours. Inside the underground pipe, the train stays on average for 20-35 minutes.
The grand opening of the Eurotunnel took place in May 1994. Despite the fact that a lot of money was spent on the construction of this underground corridor, the world community recognized it as a miraculous masterpiece. Therefore, the building was classified as one of the modern wonders of the world. According to preliminary estimates, this longest tunnel in the world will become self-sustaining only after 1000 years.
The longest tunnel in the Alps
Another incredible underground corridor that has held its ground for over half a century is the Simplon 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 well-known Orient Express route and affects one of the lines in the direction of Paris-Istanbul.
Incredibly, the Simplon Tunnel has its own history. 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 oflocal 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 is.
Unfinished "monster" in the Alps
In the Alps there is also the unfinished Gotthard Tunnel, which is called a real monster of modern architectural structures. This titan, whose length is about 57 km, is comfortably located in friendly Switzerland. According to the developers of the project themselves, the main purpose of the tunnel is the safe passage of goods and passengers through the Alps. It also cuts the three-hour journey from Zurich to Milan to two hours and fifty minutes.
And although the Gotthard Tunnel is not yet completed, it is already breaking records in terms of the amount of money spent. According to one foreign publication, to date, the construction of the underground corridor has cost its owners $10.3 billion. The opening of one of the longest railway tunnels is scheduled for 2017.
The longest tunnels in the world: an underwater connection 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 in order to increase trade and speed up the transport connection 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 had to face a lot of problems. In particular, it is not yet clear how it will workrescue system in case of an accidental accident.
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 Great Boston. However, its amazing building and design, no doubt pale in front of the amount that the customers of this building had to pay.
According to preliminary data, the total budget spent on the construction of the tunnel exceeded $14.6 billion. But the contractors could not meet this amount, so the additional daily costs 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 itself.
The longest tunnel in all of Spain
Spain also boasts Guadarama, a long land tunnel that connects Valladolid with Madrid. Its length is only 28.37 km. The building was opened in 2007. Later, Guadaram was talked about as the largest architectural work in Spain.
Major underground tunnel in Japan
Japan is famous for its underground and above-ground structures, among which there is a large Hakkoda railway tunnel. Its total length is about 26.5 km. Many years have passed since the opening of this building to the present. It's just that he continuesto remain one of the most unique spacious passages, along which two trains can pass at once.
