Jamesty
In order to connect far-flung regions and revolutionize transportation, railway tunnels are marvels of modern engineering. These tunnels burrow through mountains and under vast bodies of water to transport passengers and goods. As of the year 2025, there are a number of underground giants that stand out due to their exceptionally long lengths, making travel for millions of people easier, quicker, and more efficient. The following is a list of the top ten longest railway tunnels in the countries of the world:
List Of Top 10 Longest Railway Tunnels In The World 2025
1. Gotthard Base Tunnel, Switzerland
Significance: The Gotthard Base Tunnel is the world’s longest and deepest railway tunnel. It is the centerpiece of Switzerland’s ambitious New Rail Alpine Transversal (NRLA) project, opened in 2016 after nearly two decades of construction. This dual-tube tunnel connects northern and southern Europe in record time through the Alps. It took human ingenuity and perseverance to build in unstable rock and high temperatures. The tunnel reopened in September 2024 after a freight train derailment in August 2023.
2. Taihang Tunnel, China
The Taihang Tunnel, which can be found in the Shanxi Province of China, is an essential part of the high-speed railway that connects Shijiazhuang and Taiyuan. Due to the fact that this double-track tunnel was finished in 2007, it is now possible for high-speed trains to traverse the formidable Taihang Mountains in an efficient manner. As a result, the travel time between Shijiazhuang and Taiyuan has been significantly reduced from nearly six hours to just one hour. The mountain railway tunnel in question is among the longest of its kind in the northern region of China.
3. Songshan Lake tunnel
The Songshan Lake Tunnel is the longest national railway tunnel in mainland China, making it the one that holds the distinction of being the longest tunnel. This twin-tube tunnel, which is located in southern China and is a component of the Dongguan–Huizhou Intercity Railway (also known as the Guanghui Intercity Railway), is comprised of six underground stations. Having been finished in 2016, it will begin providing services at the end of 2017. It is an essential component of intercity rail connections, and it has a design speed of 200 kilometers per hour.
4. Lotschberg Base Tunnel
In addition to being a marvel of Swiss engineering, the Lotschberg Base Tunnel is an essential component of the NRLA project. Its purpose is to facilitate rail traffic traveling from north to south through the Bernese Alps. When it first opened its doors in 2007, it made a significant improvement to the efficiency of both passenger and freight transportation. In spite of the fact that it has a single-track section that is 21 kilometers long, there are plans to finish the second bore in order to make the most of its capacity. It is claimed by the owner of the tunnel, BLS NETZ AG, that it is one of the safest and most technically complex rail tunnels in the world. The tunnel was largely excavated using a combination of traditional drilling and blasting techniques.
5. Guadarrama Tunnel
The Guadarrama Tunnel is a twin-bore railway tunnel that serves as an essential link in Spain’s high-speed rail network. Its primary purpose is to connect Madrid with cities located in the north and northwest of the country. Once it was finished in 2008, it made it possible for trains to traverse the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains in an effective manner. As a result of the environmentally protected nature of the Guadarrama massif, its construction presented a unique set of challenges. As a result, the construction process was carried out exclusively with four tunnel boring machines (TBMs) in order to reduce the impact on the environment and eliminate the requirement for intermediate shafts.
6. West Qinling Tunnel
The West Qinling Tunnel, which is the second-longest railway tunnel in China, is an important component of the Lanzhou–Chongqing railway in the northwest region of China. The year 2016 marked the opening of this dual-bore tunnel that traverses the Qinling Mountains. During its construction, it was necessary to overcome significant geological challenges, such as high rock cover (more than 1,400 meters). Additionally, it boasts impressive excavation rates achieved by its twin TBMs, which set world records for their diameter range.
7. Taihang Tunnel
According to what was mentioned earlier, the Taihang Tunnel is an essential component of China’s plans to develop high-speed rail. In order to significantly cut down on travel times through the mountainous terrain that lies between Shijiazhuang and Taiyuan, its dual-track design and impressive length were essential components. The rapid advancements that China has made in high-speed rail infrastructure and tunnel boring technology are demonstrated by the successful construction of tunnels such as Taihang.
8. LEP tunnel
9. New Guanjiao Tunnel
Located on the Qinghai–Tibet Railway, the New Guanjiao Tunnel is a dual-bored, double-track railway tunnel that was, at the time of its completion in 2014, the longest railway tunnel in China and the world’s longest railway tunnel at high altitude (exceeding 3,300 meters above sea level). It is still in operation today. Despite the difficult geological and high-altitude conditions, it significantly reduced the amount of time needed to travel across the Guankou Mountains, which meant that connectivity to the Tibet Autonomous Region was improved.
10. Yulhyeon Tunnel
In addition to being the longest railway tunnel in South Korea, the Yulhyeon Tunnel is also the fourth-longest railway tunnel in the world. It is an essential component of the Suseo–Pyeongtaek high-speed railway and GTX-A, which allows for the connection between Suseo in Seoul and Pyeongtaek. It was opened in 2016. The New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) was utilized in order to accomplish the construction of this single-tube, double-track tunnel at extremely rapid speeds. Despite the fact that its construction was complicated by the Singal Fault, it continues to be an essential artery in South Korea’s “half-day life zone” plan, which aims to make it possible to travel to any location in the country in less than half a day.
