A tunnel connecting England to France has been a idea since 1880, when the first attempt at excavation began. Work on the Chunnel began in 1988.
The English Channel tunnel took about six years to complete in 1994, using a workforce of more than 13,000 people. The project cost approximately $21 billion.
The English Channel Tunnel is an underground railway, constructed of steel and concrete, which extends 31 miles from Folkstone, England, to Calais, France.
Two boring machines dug out the pathway for the tunnel, one starting in France and one staring work in England, and headed for the halfway point. A contest arose between England and France to see which country could reach the midpoint first. England was the winner.
