Swiss break through Alps, creating world's longest tunnel

[Troy]

Sedrun (Switzerland): Swiss engineers broke through a final 180 cm of rock deep in the Alpine mountains on Friday, linking the world's longest rail tunnel.

The 57-km Gotthard Base Tunnel in southern Switzerland will be used for transport through the Alps, shortening current travel times.


Clearing the final pieces of rock with a massive drilling machine named Sissi, the project reached a major milestone, linking the two sides. One end of the tunnel sits in a German speaking area of Switzerland and the other mouth is in an Italian region.



As the miner shook hands with a fellow worker on the other side, shouts of jubilation went out from the labourers and observers. Eight people died while building this tunnel.


The newest project, requiring some 2,500 workers, aims at better connecting Europe, even through the difficult terrain that is the Alpine mountain range.


The tunnel was given the go-ahead by the Swiss some 15 years ago in a series of referendums and cost some $10 billion. In Switzerland's direct democracy, most issues, including public construction projects, are voted on by citizens.


The rail link is expected to open for business, including passenger and freight trains, in 2017.



The larger network of tunnels will help send more people and goods around the continent on rails and remove traffic from roads, in an effort to make Europe more efficient and greener.

Great effort to drill 57km through the Alps! The tunnel looks amazing and should be fantastic when they officially open it. It has taken a long time though, it has been fifteen years since it was first given the go ahead and it will still be another seven years until it opens. Still it is a great achievement and the footage of the drill braking through the other side was spectacular.