Channel Tunnel - or just "Chunnel" for short - is the undersea tunnel linking Great Britain with the continent of Europe through France. This means it is possible to go by rail from Britain to Europe. Great Britain is no longer the island people may think it is.
Trains are a great way to travel Europe, but if one is on a budget, it is often cheaper to fly. Traveling from Britain to France via the Chunnel - one of the greatest engineering feats of the 20th century may be an experience worth the premium though. One can also take one's car on the train through the Chunnel - just remain the British drive on the Left, while the European's drive on the Right.
Background and Early Proposals For the Chunnel
The British and French have been thinking of digging their ways to each other for some time - although for different reasons. Ideas for building an undersea link between Britain and the mainland have been proposed all the way back to 1802. One of its early supporters was Napoleon Bonaparte who had little love for the English.
- First Proposals: In 1802 (Backed By Napoleon Bonaparte)
In the early days, there was fear in Britain that a tunnel would compromise Britain's national security. This attempt was a private attempt to force the hand of the British Government - but it turned out to be 100 years ahead of its time.
This work on experimental tunnels started all the way back in 1880 at Abbot's Cliff near Folkstone in Kent. But the project only used hand tools and the work was eventually abandoned. But it wasn't until 1988 that construction began and it was completed in 1993. The first Eurostar services began in November 1994.
Today it is a very busy railway tunnel handling an eye-watering amount of passengers and freight.
The Chunnel In Numbers
The Eurostar train zips through the Chunnel at a speed of 100 miles per hour (160 kilometers per hour) - outside of the Chunnel, it reaches speeds of 186 miles per hour (or 300 kilometers per hour).
- Length: 31.5 Miles or 50.5 Kilometers
Of the Chunnel's 31.5 miles of length, 23.5 miles of it is under the English Channel and is the longest undersea tunnel in the world and the third-longest railway tunnel in the world.
- Longest: The Chunnel Is The World's Longest Undersea Tunnel
- Depth: Max Depth 75 Meters or 246 Feet Below Sea Level
- Location: Folkestone in Southern Kent, England to Calais in Northern France
The Chunnel has proven popular and in 2017 carried some 20 million passengers, 1.22 million tonnes of freight, 2.6 million cars, 1.6 million trucks, and more. Enough to rival that passing by sea through the Port of Dover.
- Most Expensive: At The Time, The Chunnel Was The Most Expensive Construction Project Ever Proposed in 1985
What To Know Of Taking The Chunnel
One can't drive the Chunnel, instead, there is a railway shuttle (called "Le Shuttle") between Folkestone and Calais for one's car. This shuttle carries passengers in cars, vans, and other vehicles.
There is also a high-speed passenger train running through the Chunnel. It runs from London to a number of European cities - including Paris, Brussels, Lille, Lyon, Avignon, and Marseille.
- Shuttle Service: Carries Cars and Over Vehicles Through The Chunnel
- High-Speed Passenger Service: Going From London to A Number of Major Cities In France and Belgium
The Chunnel is actually not one, but three tunnels. Two of them are rail tunnels (used for freight and passenger trains), while the third is a service tunnel.
- Eurostar Trains: Passenger Only Departing From St Pancras International Station in London
Britain was never part of the Schengen Zone, so taking the Chunnel involves crossing international borders with all the security, border immigration, and ticket checks of an international border crossing.
Once on whichever side of the Chunnel one is going, Europe and Britain are both well connected with trains. One can easily get to most destinations with simple train transfers throughout Europe. In England, it connects to the High Speed 1 while in France it connects to the LGV Nord high-speed network.
Taking the Eurostar is generally more expensive than flying (at least if one is willing to fly with Ryanair). One can book one-way economy tickets on the Eurostar for 59 Euros ($65) from London to Paris or business class tickets for 317 Euros ($356).
- Tickets: Can Be More Expensive Than Flying
The price of the tickets can vary significantly by date and season. One can book the tickets and options on the Eurostar website. There are a number of hacks to find cheap flights (especially around Europe), one can find flights as outrageously cheap as $8 from Portugal to Scotland - even just taking the city transport at either end may cost more than that!