Tunnel vision pays off

This long-exposure shot was taken from a train travelling through the Neat Gotthard Base Tunnel near the town of Sedrun in Switzerland on Monday.

Crossing 2,400m below the Alps, the world's longest train tunnel consists of two parallel single-track tubes, each 57km long.

Work on the ambitious project began in 1996 and the completion of most of the technical work for the tunnel was announced this week.

Testing will begin on Oct 1 in anticipation of passenger and freight trains next June.

Passengers will be able to travel from Zurich to Milan in just under three hours, at 240kmh.

In January, 1,000 passengers will be chosen for the maiden journey.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 29, 2015, with the headline Tunnel vision pays off. Subscribe