Chunnel if by Land

Chunnel if by Land, Ferry if by Sea

London and France were joined by land for the first time since the Ice Age, in 1994

After years of work drilling the 31-mile tunnel out of the chalk bedrock beneath the English Channel, the $16 billion Chunnel - shorthand for Channel Tunnel - opened in 1994 with non-stop service between London and Paris.

The 300-mile trip between the two capitals takes about three hours on the 186-mph Eurostar bullet trains. That's substantially faster than a direct flight when you include taxi time from the airport to downtown.

You can"t drive through the chunnel, but will be able to transport your car on a train at prices that are competitive with those of regular ferries. Le Shuttle - the Franco-Anglo name for the car-train - costs hundreds of dollars for one car to go one way. Service started in late 1995, with a crossing-time just a few minutes under that of a standard hovercraft ferry.

Passenger fares are less competitive. A direct flight from London to Paris can be had for much less than the lowest-prices Eurostar ticket. For those looking for convenience and service, Eurostar may be just the ticket.

American and Canadian travelers can buy Eurostar tickets online or through a travel agent or else through ticket broker Britrail Travel International.

Celebrating the Chunnel, may be? Photo by Elena.