Channel Tunnel

Hello down there. It is very dark and quiet where I am. I can hear the big waves go swish-swoosh, swish-swoosh. Far above me, big boats sail on the blue water. I am a long, secret tube hiding on the floor of the sea. I stretch and stretch from one land to another. What am I? I am the Channel Tunnel. My friends call me the Chunnel. I have a very special job. I help connect two wonderful places, England and France. I am like a secret handshake under the water, bringing friends together.

A long, long time ago, people in England and France had a big idea. They wanted to visit each other without using a boat or an airplane. So, in 1988, two teams started to build me. One team was in England, and one team was in France. They used giant digging machines that looked like big metal worms. Munch, munch, munch. The machines chewed through the rock under the sea. The English team dug one way, and the French team dug the other way. They dug and dug and dug. Then, one special day, they met right in the middle. Hooray. It was like a giant high-five under the ocean.

After all that digging, I was finally ready for visitors. On May 6th, 1994, I opened my doors. Now, super-fast trains zoom through me all day and all night. Whoosh. They go so fast. The trains carry happy people going on vacation and cars going on fun trips. Sometimes they even carry fluffy puppies and kittens visiting new friends. Before me, it took a long time to cross the water. Now, it is a short, cozy ride. I am a hidden bridge under the sea, and I love helping everyone stay close and connected.