The Channel Tunnel

The Channel Tunnel, often called the Chunnel, is a tunnel under the English Channel. It connects England and France. Trains zoom through the tunnel at high speeds, carrying people and cars. The trip under the sea takes only about 35 minutes.

Digging Under the Sea

The Channel Tunnel was dug by giant machines called tunnel boring machines. Workers started digging from both sides at the same time. They met in the middle under the sea in 1990. The tunnel is about 31 miles long, and 23 of those miles are under the water. It took about six years and 13,000 workers to complete.

Traveling Through the Tunnel

High-speed trains called Eurostar carry passengers between London and Paris through the tunnel. Special shuttle trains also carry cars, trucks, and buses. The trains travel up to 100 miles per hour inside the tunnel. About 400 trains pass through the Channel Tunnel every day.

Fun Facts

• The Channel Tunnel is the longest undersea tunnel in the world.
• Workers from England and France shook hands when they met in the middle of the tunnel on December 1, 1990.
• The tunnel has three tubes: two for trains and one service tunnel in the middle for emergencies.

Did You Know?

People dreamed about building a tunnel under the English Channel for over 200 years. Napoleon Bonaparte even considered the idea in the early 1800s!