World’s longest Rail Tunnel Starts Operating in Switzerland

World’s longest Rail Tunnel Starts Operating in Switzerland The world’s longest rail tunnel, Gotthard Base Tunnel (GBT), began operating on regular basis in Switzerland, on December 11, 2016, to provide service to the passengers.The GBT Tunnel had an opening ceremony in June which was accompanied by European leaders like German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President

Francois Hollande for its World’s longest Rail Tunnel Starts Operating in Switzerlandmaiden ride.

The 57 km GBT took 17 years to build at a cost of over 12 billion Swiss francs ($11.8 billion, 11.2 billion euros).

 The first regular passenger train which used the GBT departed from Zurich at 6:09 am and arrived in Lugano at 8:17 am, saving about 30 minutes of previous travel time.

v. The Tunnel is equipped with technically advanced tunnel-boring machines, replacing the costly and dangerous blast-and-drill method.

The 57 kilometre Gotthard Base Tunnel has exceeded Japan’s 53.9-kilometre Seikan tunnel to become the world’s longest train tunnel while the 50.5-kilometre Tunnel connecting Britain and France has been placed at third place.

Switzerland :

♦ Capital : Bern

♦ Currency: Swiss franc