Tunnel Length Comparison (Rail Kilometers)
How long is the Gotthard Base Tunnel? Compare 14 world rail tunnel lengths in km, meters and miles, from Gotthard 57.09 km to the 1882 Gotthard bore. Sourced.
Visual comparison
All values
Click any row to load it as Entry A.
| Name | Value | Context | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gotthard Base Tunnel 57.09 km. Longest rail tunnel in the world. | 57.09 kilometers | Switzerland, SBB, opened 2016 | SBB AlpTransit facts and figures: Gotthard Base Tunnel 57.09 km; Guinness World Records longest rail tunnel |
| Seikan Tunnel 53.85 km. Held the record before Gotthard. | 53.85 kilometers | Japan, JR Hokkaido, opened 1988 | JR Hokkaido Seikan Tunnel data: 53.85 km; Swiss NRLA comparison 53.8 km |
| Channel Tunnel 50.45 km. Longest undersea section of any here. | 50.45 kilometers | UK to France, Getlink, opened 1994 | Eurotunnel Getlink key figures: Channel Tunnel 50.45 km |
| Yulhyeon Tunnel 50.30 km. Newest 50 km plus bore. | 50.3 kilometers | South Korea, KR Network, opened 2021 | Korea Railroad Network Yulhyeon Tunnel data: 50.30 km |
| Lotschberg Base Tunnel 34.57 km. Second Swiss base tunnel. | 34.57 kilometers | Switzerland, BLS, opened 2007 | BLS Lotschberg Base Tunnel data: 34.57 km |
| Koralm Tunnel 32.90 km. Opened December 2025. | 32.9 kilometers | Austria, OBB, opened 2025 | OBB Koralm Tunnel project data: 32.90 km |
| Guadarrama Tunnel 28.42 km. Longest in Spain. | 28.42 kilometers | Spain, Adif, opened 2007 | Adif Guadarrama Tunnel data: 28.42 km |
| Taihang Tunnel 27.89 km. Longest in China at opening. | 27.89 kilometers | China, China Railway, opened 2007 | China Railway Taihang Tunnel data: 27.89 km |
| Hakkoda Tunnel 26.45 km. Longest land tunnel at opening. | 26.45 kilometers | Japan, JR East Tohoku Shinkansen | JR East Hakkoda Tunnel data: 26.45 km |
| Iwate-Ichinohe Tunnel 25.81 km. Held the land record before Hakkoda. | 25.81 kilometers | Japan, JR East Tohoku Shinkansen | JR East Iwate-Ichinohe Tunnel data: 25.81 km |
| Pajares Tunnel 24.67 km. Second Spanish row here. | 24.67 kilometers | Spain, Adif, opened 2023 | Adif Pajares Tunnel data: 24.67 km |
| Simplon Tunnel 19.80 km. Held the world record in 1906. | 19.8 kilometers | Switzerland to Italy, SBB, opened 1906 | SBB Simplon Tunnel data: 19.80 km |
| Vereina Tunnel 19.06 km. Longest meter gauge tunnel here. | 19.06 kilometers | Switzerland, RhB, opened 1999 | Rhaetian Railway Vereina Tunnel data: 19.06 km |
| Gotthard Summit Tunnel 15.00 km. First Gotthard bore, world record 1882. | 15 kilometers | Switzerland, SBB, opened 1882 | SBB Gotthard history: summit tunnel 15 km, world longest 1882 |
About this converter
Rail tunnels are measured by route length in kilometers. Gotthard Base leads at 57.09, Seikan follows at 53.85, Channel at 50.45 and Yulhyeon at 50.30. Four tunnels pass 50 km and all four sit in different countries. The next group runs 19 to 35 km: Lotschberg Base 34.57, Koralm 32.90, Guadarrama 28.42, Taihang 27.89, Hakkoda 26.45, Iwate-Ichinohe 25.81 and Pajares 24.67. Older Alpine bores close the table with Simplon 19.80, Vereina 19.06 and the 1882 Gotthard summit tunnel 15.00. Every figure here is the operator route length.
How to use it
Pick two tunnels and a unit in the top row. The three boxes below stay linked. Change any box and the other two update. Try 1 Gotthard Base against Channel Tunnels to see the length gap in km, miles or meters.
Brenner Base stays out because it is still under construction at about 64 km and has no final measured length. Road tunnels stay out because this table is rail only, so the 24.51 km Laerdal road tunnel is not rowed. Koralm opened in December 2025, which makes it the newest row here. Lengths are route kilometers and differ slightly from excavation totals.
FAQ
What is the longest rail tunnel in the world?
57.09 km through the Swiss Alps, opened to full service in December 2016. It runs from Erstfeld to Biasca with two single track tubes.
How long is the Seikan Tunnel?
53.85 km between Honshu and Hokkaido. It held the world record from 1988 until Gotthard Base passed it.
How long is the Channel Tunnel?
50.45 km with about 38 km under the sea. It is the longest undersea section of any tunnel on this page.
Why is the Brenner Base Tunnel missing?
No. Brenner Base is still being built at about 64 km with opening planned around 2032, so it stays out until a final measured length exists.
Sources
- SBB AlpTransit Gotthard Base Tunnel facts and figures (57.09 km route, opened 2016)
- Guinness World Records: longest rail tunnel (Gotthard Base Tunnel, 57 km)
- Eurotunnel Getlink key figures (Channel Tunnel 50.45 km)
- JR Hokkaido and JR East tunnel data (Seikan 53.85, Hakkoda 26.45, Iwate-Ichinohe 25.81); OBB Koralm data (32.90 km); Adif Guadarrama and Pajares data
Last verified: 2026-10-02 · 14 entries
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