The Channel Tunnel was officially opened on 6 May 1994.

Quick Scoop

  • The Channel Tunnel (often called the Chunnel) was formally inaugurated on 6 May 1994 in a binational ceremony.
  • Queen Elizabeth II and French president François Mitterrand presided over the opening, marking the start of a permanent rail link between the UK and France.
  • Freight and full passenger services started gradually later in 1994, after additional testing and commissioning of the tunnel and trains.

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