Kaunas Railway Tunnel, Railway tunnel in Kaunas, Lithuania.
The Kaunas Railway Tunnel is an underground passage measuring about 1,285 meters (4,200 feet) that runs beneath a hill with brick walls and granite foundations in a horseshoe shape. This structure forms a crucial part of the rail line connecting two major Lithuanian cities.
The tunnel was built by a French company between 1859 and 1861 under the direction of French and Polish-Lithuanian engineers. Its completion opened the first continuous rail route through this part of the region.
The tunnel serves as a vital connection for daily travelers between two major Lithuanian cities. Its role in linking communities has made it a symbol of the infrastructure that binds the country together.
Visitors can experience the tunnel by taking the regular train service that runs between the two cities. The best way to see it is from a train car, since the interior is not accessible on foot during normal operations.
This remains the only operational railway tunnel in the Baltic region, making it a distinctive structure of particular importance. Extensive modernization work in the early 2000s updated its safety systems and prepared it for contemporary rail service.
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