World's longest railway tunnel trip takes 20 minutes and is more than 35 miles long

Train journeys are often seen as one of the most efficient and relaxing modes of travel, with tunnels playing a crucial role in cutting through hills and mountains. While there are over a thousand rail tunnels in the UK, most can be travelled through in mere seconds.

However, one tunnel in the Swiss Alps takes an astonishing 20 minutes to pass through. The Gotthard Base Tunnel holds the world record for being the longest and deepest railway tunnel, stretching 35.5 miles between the cantons of Uri and Ticino. This makes it incredibly useful for both tourists and locals looking to reach popular destinations on either side of the Alps.

Specifically, the Gotthard Base Tunnel was designed to reduce the travel time from Zurich, Switzerland to Milan, Italy to just 2.5 hours - a full hour less than the traditional route. The idea for the Gotthard Base Tunnel was first proposed in the late 1940s as a two-story base tunnel for both trains and cars.

It wasn't until 1992 that Swiss voters approved the concept. Construction began in November 1999 but due to the sale of the tunnel, it wasn't completed until 17 years later, opening on June 1, 2016.

The Gotthard Base Tunnel, currently in use for transporting a variety of goods including food, fuel, and construction materials across Europe, is an engineering marvel. Passenger and freight trains traverse this tunnel at impressive speeds, with passenger trains typically reaching 125mph, reports the Express.

If there's a delay, the speed can be ramped up by 30mph to a whopping 155mph. Although it's around 45mph slower than Japan's bullet trains and France's TGV, it's still quite fast for a single-track railway.

Despite being the longest train tunnel globally, alternatives like the Seikan Tunnel in Japan's Tsugaru Strait and the Channel Tunnel connecting the UK and France offer quicker routes. The Seikan Tunnel held the previous world record after its completion in 1988, spanning 33.5 miles, while the Channel Tunnel's three tubes each cover a distance of 31.3 miles.