Today in History

May 6, 1994

The Chunnel Opens

On May 6, 1994, the tunnel from Folkestone, Kent, England to Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais, France opened for business. Passing under the English Channel, the Chunnel, as it became known, is a modern marvel of engineering. It is the second longest undersea tunnel in the world. Eleven drilling machines worked for six years, cutting through the bedrock on the ocean floor. The Chunnel is 31.34 miles long and is serviced by its own train system. Queen Elizabeth II and French President François Mitterrand officially opened the Chunnel in Calais.

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