14 November 1994
The first passengers cross the Channel Tunnel on the first train of the Eurostar high-speed rail line in two hours and 15 minutes, departing from London for Paris. Bob Preston, the driver of the first route, described it as a “historic moment”. Although the most popular route is Paris – London, it is not the only one. Eurostar started operating a few months after the opening of the Eurotunnel.
The tunnel, about 37 km below the English Channel, is not only the longest underwater tunnel in the world, but also the direct land connection of Great Britain with mainland Europe. For many travelers it is an alternative to the plane.
Eurostar’s train network connects, inter alia, London with Brussels, Paris, Eurodisneyland, Lyon, Avignon, Marseille in the Mediterranean and Amsterdam in the North Sea.
The Channel Tunnel was named the top construction achievement of the 20th century in a survey by the American Society of Civil Engineers on March 23, surpassing projects such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Aswan Grand Dam across the Nile River in Egypt and the Sydney Opera House. including. The criteria for the research included the economic impact, the impact and benefits for humanity, the influences on future projects, as well as the innovation and application of new technology.
Despite the high cost (approximately $ 7.2 billion by 1994, over 80% of the original budget), the Channel Tunnel quickly became popular and profitable as a business. A period of recession followed and in 2003 the worst economic performance was recorded, which, however, was successfully addressed after 2008.
Today, due to the pandemic and travel restrictions, the number of passengers crossing the Battle via Eurotunnel has dropped significantly. However, the transport of goods has continued normally in recent months. About a quarter of British imports enter the country through the tunnel.
Money Review
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