The longest railway tunnel was finished after fourteen years of construction in Switzerland. The 57km long tunnel, also known as the Gotthard Base Tunnel, was finally completed after a drilling machine cut the final piece of rock separating two halves. Use of the tunnel will cut travel time from Zurich to Italy significantly. Freight trains will also use the tunnel for a more economic route. It measures just over 3 km longer than the Seikan rail tunnel in Japan, now making it the world's longest railway tunnel. Approximately 2,500 workers have labored to finish its construction, and nearly $10.6 billion dollars have been spent to complete it. The tunnel will increase railway traffic, and ultimately allow Switzerland to meet its rising demand for freight transportation.
Meghan Steinbeiss
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/10/15/switzerland.rail.tunnel.gotthard/index.html?npt=NP1
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