Tunnels: Channel Tunnel
There are all sorts of transportation tunnels to drive through or ride through. But, none of them compared to the building of the channel tunnel from England to France. This massive undertaking that has been talked about since the early 1800s had finally come to fruition by the early 1990s. Most modes of transportation have a give and take model between comfort and efficiency but after the development of this world wonder it has taken on a whole new aspect to rail travel between France and England known as the Eurostar.
The tunnel idea was not new to the early English and French they did an awful lot of trading in cargo and business that it only made sense to find an easy route to both countries. In the early 1800s is when it was first thought that a high speed railway underneath the channel was born. Only to be stopped at that point in time by political and cost prohibitive turmoil. Then again the idea was brought to the table periodically up until the early 1970s where a feasible plan was accepted but never enacted upon. Then in 1988 a slew of new investors went with the idea despite financial overruns and technical issues the tunnel was completed in 1994.
The initial cost of the tunnel was very reasonable but soon ballooned into overly in economical but they kept building. Most investors at the end gave up and wrote it off as a loss to their financial investment. But, to others it has been a economic boom the completion of the tunnel has provided competition a useful reference to lower prices and decrease travel fairs to the two countries dramatically.
The channel tunnel was built with the strongest concrete available that will continue to settle for 100 years. As the pressure and concrete dries inside the stronger it will continue to hold. The concrete is also reinforces with steel beams which makes it one of the strongest tunnels ever created. The tunnel is approximately 30 miles long and it connects from Folkston England, with Calais France on the tips of the English Channel. It is made of two different tunnels separated by one smaller service tunnel that can also be used in an emergency. These tunnels are used by the Eurostar transportation trains and different cargo trains between the two countries.
The Channel tunnel is commonly used to transport cars in a fairy service because it is faster than using ferry service over the water. Service runs twenty four hours a day seven days a week and is in a nonstop entry for tourist and visitors. Prices vary of course on the type of vehicle that you are transporting and if it is going to be used for commercial or tourism as well as the length of stay in opposing countries.
Eurostar is the name of the high speed electrical rail line that built most of the tunnel. They have services that run from England to France all the way to Belgium. The Eurostar passenger trains can cross the channel in about 35 to 45 minutes with speeds in excess of 200 miles an hour. Eurostar trains offer many choices of service while on the trains. You have different classes of passengers from first class to coach seating the cost varies of course. They also have food and room service available if you are in a privet coach. But no matter how you choose to cross the channel the Channel Tunnel railways clearly offers the most benefits compared to other modes of transport.
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