Seven years ago, back in 2010, some reports covered a story that the world's longest railway tunnel was under construction in Switzerland.
Seven
years
ago
,
back
in
2010
,
some
reports
covered
a
story
that
the
world
's
longest
railway
tunnel
was
under
construction
in
Switzerland
.
At that point it had already been under construction for over a decade.
At
that
point
it
had
already
been
under
construction
for
over
a
decade
.
It had been voted to be built nearly a quarter of a century ago! The idea to build it could date back to nearly 70 years ago-about as old as some of your grandparents!
It
had
been
voted
to
be
built
nearly
a
quarter
of
a
century
ago
!
The
idea
to
build
it
could
date
back
to
nearly
70
years
ago-about
as
old
as
some
of
your
grandparents
!
Yesterday, it was finally ready!
Yesterday
,
it
was
finally
ready
!
It's 35 miles long and runs 7,5 00 feet beneath the Swiss Alps, a famous mountain range in Switzerland.
It
's
35
miles
long
and
runs
7,5
00
feet
beneath
the
Swiss
Alps
,
a
famous
mountain
range
in
Switzerland
.
It even runs under an old tunnel that was there before.
It
even
runs
under
an
old
tunnel
that
was
there
before
.
It took a total of 17 years to build at a cost of $12 billion 128 million tons of rock were dug.
It
took
a
total
of
17
years
to
build
at
a
cost
of
$
12
billion
128
million
tons
of
rock
were
dug
.
Two million truckloads of earth were removed!
Two
million
truckloads
of
earth
were
removed
!
The tunnel connects northern and southern Europe.
The
tunnel
connects
northern
and
southern
Europe
.
The opening of this tunnel was such a big deal that the Germany's leader, Chancellor Angela Merkel, France's president, Francois Hollande, and Italy's prime minister, Matteo Renzi, were all there to celebrate, as was Austria's chancellor Christian Kern.
The
opening
of
this
tunnel
was
such
a
big
deal
that
the
Germany
's
leader
,
Chancellor
Angela
Merkel
,
France
's
president
,
Francois
Hollande
,
and
Italy
's
prime
minister
,
Matteo
Renzi
,
were
all
there
to
celebrate
,
as
was
Austria
's
chancellor
Christian
Kern
.
It's called the Gotthard Base Tunnel.
It
's
called
the
Gotthard
Base
Tunnel
.
Eventually,325 freight and passenger trains will go through the tunnel, relieving a lot of traffic on the roadways there and making it a more environmentally friendly option.
Eventually,325
freight
and
passenger
trains
will
go
through
the
tunnel
,
relieving
a
lot
of
traffic
on
the
roadways
there
and
making
it
a
more
environmentally
friendly
option
.
The Gotthard Base Tunnel is a wonder of engineering! Make us want to visit it!
The
Gotthard
Base
Tunnel
is
a
wonder
of
engineering
!
Make
us
want
to
visit
it
!
Seven years ago, back in 2010, some reports covered a story that the world's longest railway tunnel was under construction in Switzerland. At that point it had already been under construction for over a decade. It had been voted to be built nearly a quarter of a century ago! The idea to build it could date back to nearly 70 years ago-about as old as some of your grandparents!  Yesterday, it was finally ready!  It's 35 miles long and runs 7,5 00 feet beneath the Swiss Alps, a famous mountain range in Switzerland. It even runs under an old tunnel that was there before. It took a total of 17 years to build at a cost of $12 billion 128 million tons of rock were dug. Two million truckloads of earth were removed!  The tunnel connects northern and southern Europe. The opening of this tunnel was such a big deal that the Germany's leader, Chancellor Angela Merkel, France's president, Francois Hollande, and Italy's prime minister, Matteo Renzi, were all there to celebrate, as was Austria's chancellor Christian Kern.  It's called the Gotthard Base Tunnel. Eventually,325 freight and passenger trains will go through the tunnel, relieving a lot of traffic on the roadways there and making it a more environmentally friendly option. The Gotthard Base Tunnel is a wonder of engineering! Make us want to visit it!