Channel Tunnel

and the Channel Tunnel Rail Link

The Channel Tunnel is a rail link beneath the English Channel. It connects Britain, at a point near Folkestone, with continental Europe near Calais, in northern France.

The Tunnel is owned and operated by Eurotunnel, who also operate special shuttle trains ferrying cars, lorries and coaches between the terminals at Cheriton (Folkestone) and Coquelles (Calais).

The Channel Tunnel also carries through passenger and freight rail services between the national networks of Britain and France.

Passenger services between London, Paris and Brussels are operated by Eurostar.

Freight services are operated by EWS International, a subsidiary of English, Welsh & Scottish Railways, and by SNCF, the French national railway system.

Soon after its construction, the Channel Tunnel was connected to the heart of France and Belgium by new high speed rail lines but a similar line in Britain had to wait until 2007, 13 years after the first revenue earning operation of Eurostar trains. The new line, known as High Speed 1 or simply HS1, has been built by London & Continental Railways. HS1 is opened for public service in November, 2007, along the new international station at St Pancras. This development incorporates historic parts of the original St Pancras station, which have been sensitively restored for their new use: the impressive overall glass roof of the trainshed, together with the magnificent but long disused Midland Grand Hotel, the latter to be given a new lease of life as a luxury hotel and apartments.

© 2000-2007 Glyn Williams