the world’s longest tunnel opens in switzerland
Saturday 12 July 2025
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

The world’s longest tunnel opens in Switzerland

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicleThe world’s longest tunnel opens in Switzerland

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Swiss Federal President Johann Schneider-Ammann,
Erstfeld - Arab Today

The world’s longest tunnel officially opened on Wednesday, with the trailblazing rail passage under the Swiss Alps aiming to ease transit through the heart of Europe.

With political unity on the continent shaken by a massive influx of refugees and the looming threat of Britain’s European Union (EU) departure, Swiss president Johan Schneider-Amman said the tunnel would “join the people and the economies” of Europe.

He spoke before the 57-kilometre Gotthard Base Tunnel (GBT) made its ceremonial first run with European leaders on board

While the tunnel was entirely funded by non-EU member Switzerland, the bloc’s transport commissioner Violeta Bulc has hailed it as “a godsend” for the continent.

It runs from Erstfeld, in the central canton of Uri, to Bodio, in the southern Ticino canton.

Travel through the Alpine region, by rail or by road, requires taking a zigzag and undulating route.

The Gotthard Base Tunnel was designed to offer a better option for both private travellers and commercial freights.

When the full service opens in December, the tunnel will shave the train journey from Zurich to Milan in northern Italy down to two hours and 40 minutes, roughly an hour less than it currently takes.

It should also make rail freight more efficient — partly by supporting heavier cargo, which should reduce the number of smoke-spewing lorries on the roads, in turn improving traffic and curbing pollution.

The number of daily rail passengers is expected to increase from the current rate of 9,000 people to 15,000 by 2020, according to the Swiss federal railway service.

The rough design for a rail tunnel under the Gotthard Pass was first sketched by Swiss engineer Carl Eduard Gruner in 1947.

But bureaucratic delays, concerns over the cost and other hurdles pushed back the start of construction until 1999.

The work took 17 years at a cost of more than 12 billion Swiss francs (Dh44 billion).

According to the Swiss rail service, it also took 43,800 hours of non-stop work by 125 labourers rotating in three shifts to lay the tunnel’s slab track.

The ambitious venture was largely made possible by technical advances in tunnel-boring machines, which replaced the costly and dangerous blast-and-drill method.

The primary machine used to make the Gotthard tunnel was roughly 410-metres long and functioned like a mobile factory.

It cuts through rock and throws the debris backwards while simultaneously placing the pre-formed segments of concrete that form the shape of the tunnel.

A separate system grouts the pieces together.

With its official opening, the GBT has surpassed Japan’s 53.9-kilometre Seikan tunnel as the world’s longest train tunnel.

The 50.5-kilometre Channel Tunnel that links England and France has been bumped into third place

source : gulfnews

themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

the world’s longest tunnel opens in switzerland the world’s longest tunnel opens in switzerland

 



Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

GMT 08:26 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Five things to know about Davos

GMT 09:08 2015 Sunday ,01 November

England remove Pakistan openers in third Test

GMT 07:44 2017 Tuesday ,24 October

Macron faces rights test as Egypt's Sisi visits Paris

GMT 21:29 2017 Tuesday ,07 March

Maguire confident Tigers can claw out of danger

GMT 10:27 2017 Sunday ,24 September

Tullow Oil to restart drilling in Ghana after ruling

GMT 07:33 2015 Sunday ,18 October

Spain's Rins win Australian Moto2 GP

GMT 08:51 2017 Sunday ,24 December

Zimbabwe ex-army chief Chiwenga named ruling party VP

GMT 20:13 2017 Thursday ,16 March

Bowling, table tennis achievements lauded

GMT 09:40 2017 Monday ,04 December

Stade down Racing, Clermont edge plucky Agen

GMT 14:36 2017 Tuesday ,21 February

Israeli Forces Detain Five Palestinians in Hebron

GMT 13:01 2011 Thursday ,01 December

World\'s longest model train in hamburg

GMT 01:29 2015 Thursday ,12 February

Qatar's PM meets Iraqi president

GMT 11:37 2017 Tuesday ,10 October

Nuzman stays in prison in Rio graft probe

GMT 14:39 2017 Wednesday ,08 March

Bird flu hits US poultry imports to Asia

GMT 11:50 2012 Thursday ,02 August

Mobiles, Internet cut in Syria\'s Aleppo

GMT 21:13 2017 Saturday ,10 June

South Africa shock Nigeria in CAN qualifier

GMT 00:26 2017 Saturday ,04 March

Real Madrid legend Raymond Kopa dies aged 85

GMT 21:17 2017 Sunday ,22 October

Saudi Arabia has historical ties to Iraq

GMT 16:57 2014 Tuesday ,07 January

Best modern sofa trends

GMT 10:34 2017 Sunday ,27 August

The Sunday Times Style names features editor
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
 
 Themuslimchronicle Facebook,themuslimchronicle facebook  Themuslimchronicle Twitter,themuslimchronicle twitter Themuslimchronicle Rss,themuslimchronicle rss  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle