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Eurotunnel
Eurotunnel has become one of the market leaders for cross Channel travel. The tunnel itself is 50km long, with 39km under the sea, the longest of it's kind. On average to tunnel lies 40metres below the sea bed. Eurotunnel manages the infrastructure of the Channel Tunnel and operates accompanied truck shuttle and passenger shuttle (car/coach) between Folkstone and Calais The Eurotunnel system actually consists of three separate tunnels: two which the trains run through and a third service tunnel. The service tunnel is the only one of it's kind in the world, it also acts as a safe haven from the smoke and fumes of the two train tunnels. Eurotunnel earns revenue from other train operators (Eurostar for rail passengers and EWS and SNCF for rail freight) which use the tunnel. Eurotunnel is quoted on the London, Paris and Brussels stock exchanges. The idea of a tunnel under the Channel dates back to 1802 when French mining engineer, Albert Mathieu put forward the first ever design for a Channel Tunnel. Following the advent of the steam train and the construction of the rail network in Britain after 1930, the first proposals for a rail tunnel came. Thomé de Gamond, a French mining engineer spent 30 years on seven different designing. The idea of a fixed link between Britain and mainland Europe remained in the minds of engineers between the 1880s and 1945, and in 1957 a Channel Tunnel Study Group was formed. In 1960, the group proposed a railway tunnel system comprising of two main railway tunnels and a third service tunnel. On 20 January 1986, Margaret Thatcher and François Mitterrand announced that the Eurotunnel bid had been selected. Three weeks later on 12 February the foreign ministers of both countries signed the Franco-British Treaty in Canterbury. The Eurotunnel service offers high speed travel between Folkstone and Calais. It's simple drive-on, drive-off trains provide a quick and easy way to travel to the continent. Now, with Eurostar, it is possible for passengers to travel in comfort on luxury trains from London or Ashford directly to Paris, Brussels, Lille, Disneyland Paris and many other top European destinations. The Channel Tunnel rail link is a new high speed link connecting the tunnel with London, the first stage between the tunnel and Fawkham Junction in North Kent opened in 2003. The second stage extends the link to London St. Pancras and is due to open in 2007. Click here to book Eurotunnel - Le Tunnel tickets
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