The Channel Tunnel has cut travel times between the UK and mainland Europe dramatically. Before the tunnel it took around 6 or 7 hours by rail and ferry from London to Paris. Trains can now do the same journey in 2.5 hours.
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From the customers' point of view, however, the project has been a great success in that the Tunnel effectively broke the ferry operators' cartel that had been operating for decades on the cross-Channel routes and led to significant price reductions. For investors, the project has been disastrous.
Soon after the start of operations, Eurotunnel reached a delicate financial situation which resulted from the escalation of construction costs, a large overestimation of the cross-Channel market and the underestimation of the cross-Channel ferry operators' competitive response which led to a very damaging price war.
What does the Eurotunnel look like underwater? This may be a disappointing answer, but you can't actually see the sea from the Eurostar. When you go through the tunnel and look out of the window, all you can see is your reflection in the glass because it's quite dark outside.
Water is drained from the tunnels by large submersible pumps, and reliable operation is critical - there are more than 200 train movements in each direction every day.
The Laerdal Tunnel in western Norway is the longest road tunnel in the world. It takes about 20 minutes to pass through the tunnel. Brightly colored lights placed every six kilometers help drivers stay alert.