Hakkoda Tunnel
Encyclopedia
The is a 26.445 kilometres (16.432 mi) railway tunnel in located in central Aomori Prefecture
, in northern Japan. It passes through the Hakkōda mountain range and links the village of Tenmabayashi
with the city of Aomori
.
The Hakkōda Tunnel is part of the northern extension of the Tōhoku Shinkansen
, and is located between the stations of Shichinohe-Towada
and Shin Aomori
. Preliminary work on the tunnel began in August 1998, with ground broken in June 1999. On its breakthrough on February 27, 2005, it surpassed the Iwate-Ichinohe Tunnel
of the same Tōhoku Shinkansen to become the world's longest terrestrial (land-based) tunnel, but was surpassed only two months later by the Lötschberg Base Tunnel
in Switzerland
. However, the Lötschberg Base Tunnel has only a single track for most of its length, and therefore the Hakkōda Tunnel remains the longest double-tracked terrestrial railway tunnel in the world.
The tunnel began to be used in 2010.
Aomori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region. The capital is the city of Aomori.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Aomori prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
, in northern Japan. It passes through the Hakkōda mountain range and links the village of Tenmabayashi
Tenmabayashi, Aomori
was a village located in Kamikita District in central Aomori Prefecture, Japan.Tenmabayashi Village was founded in 1889 from the merger of seven small hamlets...
with the city of Aomori
Aomori, Aomori
is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, in the northern Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the city had an estimated population of 302,068 and a density of 366 persons per km². Its total area was 824.52 km².- History :...
.
The Hakkōda Tunnel is part of the northern extension of the Tōhoku Shinkansen
Tohoku Shinkansen
The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line, connecting Tokyo with Aomori in Aomori Prefecture for a total length of 674 km, Japan's longest Shinkansen line. It runs through the more sparsely populated Tōhoku region of Japan's main island Honshu. It has two spur lines, Yamagata...
, and is located between the stations of Shichinohe-Towada
Shichinohe-Towada Station
is a railway station operated by East Japan Railway Company in Shichinohe, Aomori, Japan, on the Tōhoku Shinkansen. It opened on 4 December 2010.-Layout:...
and Shin Aomori
Shin-Aomori Station
is a railway station on the East Japan Railway Company northern Ōu Main Line located in the city of Aomori, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It is 480.6 rail kilometers from the southern terminus of the Ōu Main Line at Fukushima Station...
. Preliminary work on the tunnel began in August 1998, with ground broken in June 1999. On its breakthrough on February 27, 2005, it surpassed the Iwate-Ichinohe Tunnel
Iwate-Ichinohe Tunnel
The is a 25.810 km terrestrial railway tunnel in Japan — part of the Tōhoku Shinkansen, linking Tokyo with Aomori. When opened in 2002 it was the longest in-use terrestrial tunnel in world, but the title was overtaken by the Lötschberg Base Tunnel in June 2007.The tunnel is located...
of the same Tōhoku Shinkansen to become the world's longest terrestrial (land-based) tunnel, but was surpassed only two months later by the Lötschberg Base Tunnel
Lötschberg Base Tunnel
The Lötschberg Base Tunnel is a railway tunnel on the BLS Lötschbergbahn's Lötschberg Line cutting through the Alps of Switzerland some below the existing Lötschberg Tunnel. It is currently the world's longest land tunnel and accommodates passenger and freight trains. It runs between Frutigen,...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. However, the Lötschberg Base Tunnel has only a single track for most of its length, and therefore the Hakkōda Tunnel remains the longest double-tracked terrestrial railway tunnel in the world.
The tunnel began to be used in 2010.