World Perspective : Connecting England and France : Eurotunnel

For the first time since the Ice Age, Britain and the European Continent are physically connected. Dubbed the Chunnel by locals, the English Channel tunnel will be christened by England’s Queen Elizabeth II and French President Francois Mitterrand today. Travelers may drive their vehicles aboard Le Shuttle or ride traditional-style Eurostar trains from London and Paris.

Cross Comparisons

The Eurotunnel will offer travelers another method of crossing the English Channel. How it compares to other options:

Chunnel*: 3 hours (London to Paris) $195 winter/$465 summer

Ferry*: 2 hours $124 winter/$248 summer

Airplane: 1 hour (London to Paris) $135

* Fares charged per vehicle, not per passenger

Le Shuttle

28 wagons carry 1,000 passengers, 120 cars and 60 full-size buses.

Estimated loading/unloading time at each end: eight minutes.

The trip from station to station will take 43 minutes.

Cars enter loading wagon through side doors that lead into the lower deck or go up ramps leading to upper deck. They drive from wagon through access doors until train is full.

Le Shuttle: Double-decker wagon

North rail Tunnel: England to France

Service tunnel and vehicle: For maintenance and emergencies

Eurostar

Will seat 784 passengers; night trains also offer sleeping coaches. Each train has 18 coaches and a locomotive on each end.

Eurostar locomotive: South rail tunnel (France to England)

Chunnel Cross-Section

Rock and dirt removed: 23 million cubic feet; would fill Pasadena’s Rose Bowl 12 times.

Construction teams, tunneling from both sides, met here, October, 1990.

English Channel

Cross-passages: Provides ventilation, maintenance access from service tunnel and emergency exit. Located every 400 yards.

Average depth below seabed: 80-150 feet

Concrete tunnel: 25-foot diameter; reinforced concrete; 1 1/2 feet thick.

How Tunnel Compares

Japan’s Seikan Tunnel is the only other undersea railroad tunnel in the world. The Seikan has a single tunnel with multiple tracks. (Costs not adjusted for inflation):

Project Length Cost Eurotunnel 31 miles $15.4 billion Seikan Tunnel 33 miles $5 billion Panama Canal 51 miles $380 million Golden Gate Bridge 8,981 feet $35.5 million

Travel Information

Le Shuttle General Sales: (215) 741-5153

Eurotunnel General Information: (800) 94-CHUNNEL (24-hour recording)

Le Shuttle Customer Service: 011-44-30-327-1100 in Ashford England

Eurostar: 011-44-23-361-7575 in Ashford, England

Sources: Eurotunnel, European Passenger Services, TransManche Link, Conde Nast Traveler, Encyclopaedia Britannica, World Book Encyclopedia; Researched by APRIL JACKSON / Los Angeles Times