Somport Rail Tunnel, International rail tunnel in Pyrenees Mountains, France and Spain.
The Somport Rail Tunnel is an international railway passage that runs beneath the Pyrenees, connecting the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department of France with Spain's Huesca Province. This structure stretches nearly 7,900 meters through the mountain range.
Drilling began in October 1908 from both sides, at Les Forges d'Abel in the Aspe valley and on the Spanish side. The two headings met on 13 October 1912, and the tunnel was formally completed on 15 September 1915. The Pau–Canfranc line opened on 19 July 1928, thirteen years later, inaugurated by public works minister Louis Barthou. The last trains ran in March 1970, after a derailment destroyed the Estanguet bridge.
The tunnel holds the status of a registered historical monument in France, reflecting its importance in linking French and Spanish communities across the border. This recognition shows how the passage became central to regional identity on both sides.
The tunnel is not open to visitors: since 2003 it has served only as the emergency exit for the Somport road tunnel, and the track inside has been removed. Its Spanish portal stands at the end of the road up from Canfranc; the French portal is reached from the Forges d'Abel in the Aspe valley. A reopening project estimated in 2024 at 93 million euros and 52 months of work remains unbuilt.
The tunnel serves a dual purpose that extends beyond regular train traffic, functioning as a binational rescue facility with coordinated emergency protocols. These shared emergency capabilities are unusual and show how closely France and Spain work together in the mountains.
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