Tunnels
The new high speed rail tunnels will form part of the HS2 network that will help connect the country, create thousands of jobs and rebalance the UK economy.
In total, around 32.5 miles of twin-tunnel will be created between London and the West Midlands, and 130 million tonnes of earth will be excavated, enough to fill Wembley Stadium 15 times.
32.5 miles of twin-bore tunnel
Five twin-bore tunnels and six green, or cut-and-cover, tunnels will be built between London and Birmingham.
Latest tunnel updates
Twin-bore tunnels
Almost a fifth of the 140-mile route between London and the West Midlands will be in tunnel.
- Euston Tunnel: 4.5 miles (7.3km)
- Northolt Tunnel: 8.4 miles (13.6km)
- Chiltern Tunnel: 10 miles (16km)
- Long Itchington Wood Tunnel: 1 mile (1.6km)
- Bromford Tunnel: 3.5 miles (5.8 km)
Green tunnels
Six cut and cover, or ‘green’, tunnels will also be built between London and the West Midlands.
- Copthall Green Tunnel: 0.55 miles (0.8km)
- Wendover Green Tunnel: 0.9 miles (1.1km)
- Greatworth Green Tunnel: 1.6 miles (2.7km)
- Chipping Warden Green Tunnel: 1.5 miles (2.5km)
- Long Itchington Wood Green Tunnel: 0.1 miles (0.16km)
- Burton Green Green Tunnel: 0.5 miles (0.7km)
32.5 miles of high-speed rail tunnels
Twin-bore tunnels
Our twin-bore tunnels, each containing a single rail track, are constructed using tunnel boring machines (TBMs).
Green tunnels
Our green tunnels will be built using the cut-and-cover method of construction, with trees and shrubs then planted on top.