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Eurotunnel

Eurotunnel, officially the Channel Tunnel, is a rail tunnel beneath the English Channel that links Folkestone, in Kent, United Kingdom, with Calais, France. It is operated by Getlink, formerly Eurotunnel S.A. / Eurotunnel plc, and consists of three parallel tunnels: two rail tunnels and a central service tunnel used for maintenance and safety. The combined length is about 50.45 km, with roughly 37.9 km undersea. The system supports passenger and freight traffic, with two main rail routes: high‑speed Eurostar passenger trains between the UK and continental Europe, and Le Shuttle, a car and freight shuttle service that carries road vehicles and goods between the ports of Folkestone and Calais.

Construction began in 1988 and the tunnel opened in 1994. The project cost about 9 billion pounds

Safety and operations: The tunnel features ventilation, emergency exits, and cross‑tunnel evacuation routes. In 1996, a

Impact and significance: The Channel Tunnel provides a major cross‑Channel transport link for passengers and freight,

and
was
financed
by
a
mix
of
private
investment
and
government
backing.
The
operation
is
integrated
with
UK
and
French
rail
networks
and
connects
to
HS1
in
Britain
and
the
high‑speed
lines
on
the
continent.
serious
fire
on
a
car
shuttle
train
prompted
major
safety
reforms
and
additional
drills.
influencing
travel
patterns
and
competition
with
ferry
services.
It
has
remained
a
key
component
of
European
transport
infrastructure
and
is
subject
to
ongoing
capacity
and
safety
upgrades
by
Getlink.