# Any other tunnels like this one?



## Justme (Sep 11, 2002)

Thinking about my previous post on pedestrian foot tunnels under rivers, I was reminded of an amazing tunnel in Hamburg I saw a few years ago. I believe there were quite a few built like this around Europe and some other parts of the world, but is this the remaining working one still in existance?

The Old Elbe Tunnel was opened in 1911 and is 426m long.

The tunnel is for both road traffic and pedestrian access, and both access via four car huge lifts and two pedestriant lifts on either side of the tunnel that carry pedestrians, carriages and motor vehicles to the bottom. They are still in operation today, although much of the real motor traffic has moved to other more modern tunnels and bridges.

Still, are there any other tunnels like this operating around the world?


































360°! http://www.lostplaces.de/elbtunnel/#


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## Alargule (Feb 21, 2005)

The Annatunnel in Antwerp is a pedestrian-only tunnel (although bikers are allowed as well). 500 m long, with two 'art deco' escalator houses (quite impressive, actually). It was opened in 1930.


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## Justme (Sep 11, 2002)

Alargule said:


> The Annatunnel in Antwerp is a pedestrian-only tunnel (although bikers are allowed as well). 500 m long, with two 'art deco' escalator houses (quite impressive, actually). It was opened in 1930.


Quite true, but I put that in my other thread on pedestrian only tunnels. I was wondering about the larger ones that still allow cars down the lifts and still operating.

Thanks anyway :cheers:


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## Nick in Atlanta (Nov 5, 2003)

These kind of tunnels must have been incredibly expensive to build and operate. Is there a reason that a fairly tall bridge wasn't just built instead? It seems like it may not have been as interesting, but it would have been a lot cheaper.

Also, is there a fee charged to cars or pedestrians for using this tunnel?


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## Justme (Sep 11, 2002)

It's free for pedestrians, and as far as I know, it's also free for cars (but I didn't drive through).

I would guess the reason why a tunnel was built instead of a bridge was that being a very busy port area in 1911 (most of the port activity has now moved down river), it would have been incredibly expensive to build such a tall bridge at the time, with the technology that they had, it would have had to be extreamly tall to allow the tall ships to pass through, or be an opening bridge like the Tower Bridge in London.


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## redstone (Nov 15, 2003)

Justme said:


> Thinking about my previous post on pedestrian foot tunnels under rivers, I was reminded of an amazing tunnel in Hamburg I saw a few years ago. I believe there were quite a few built like this around Europe and some other parts of the world, but is this the remaining working one still in existance?
> 
> The Old Elbe Tunnel was opened in 1911 and is 426m long.
> 
> ...


Won't there be huge traffic jams?
Or not many cars use the tunnel? :?


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## PotatoGuy (May 10, 2005)

looks interesting, i shall make it a goal to someday visit


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## Justme (Sep 11, 2002)

@ redstone, there is a much larger modern tunnel not too far away, and a bridge near that as well for all normal traffic. People only use this these days if they are either not in a hurry, or for the novelty factor.

Maybe it is the last remaining one in the world?


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## Andrew (Sep 11, 2002)

That's pretty amazing! Are there two separate tunnels, one for each direction or does traffic only go one direction?


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## Justme (Sep 11, 2002)

^ Two tunnels, one for each direction. The new Elbe Tunnel, not to far away is a six lane autobahn.


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## hYp (Nov 19, 2005)

And there is not much left on the other (=harbor) side anyway, most of the ship yards there have been closed during the last decades. So there is no need to use that tunnel, since most parts of the "modern" harbor area are easier to reach by using the new Elbe Tunnel or the bridges.

btw, there are renovation works in process at the moment, the entries are scraffolded.

@ Justme: There are eight lanes now, but still it's jammed at least 6 hours a day.


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## pricemazda (Feb 14, 2004)

The Greenwich Foot Tunnel in London is like that, it connects Greenwich to the Isle of Dogs and was built in 1902.


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## DiggerD21 (Apr 22, 2004)

Justme said:


>


Actually on this photo the entrance building of the tunnel is not included. What you see instead are the landing piers where ferries and sightseeing ships depart. The tunnel entrance building is right of this building. (The big dome on the following pic).


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## Bertez (Jul 9, 2005)

Cool


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## atrida02 (Jun 19, 2005)

Justme said:


> ^ Two tunnels, one for each direction. The new Elbe Tunnel, not to far away is a six lane autobahn.



It is now a 8 lane Autobahn. The new Elbtunnel has 4 tunnels, each with 2 lanes.


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## Effer (Jun 9, 2005)

Looks very strange and creepy.


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## Justme (Sep 11, 2002)

pricemazda said:


> The Greenwich Foot Tunnel in London is like that, it connects Greenwich to the Isle of Dogs and was built in 1902.


Ni it's not. I was specifically looking at tunnels where _both_ pedestrians and Cars travel down elevators.

The London tunnels (there are two with elevators at both ends) and pedestrian only.

I actually made a thread about that here: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=260018


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## pricemazda (Feb 14, 2004)

i wonder if the Rotherhithe tunnel was built originally as a foot and vehicle tunnel. its very narrow.


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## Justme (Sep 11, 2002)

pricemazda said:


> i wonder if the Rotherhithe tunnel was built originally as a foot and vehicle tunnel. its very narrow.


The Rotherhithe Tunnel was originally built for pedestrian's and traffic, although of the horse and cart variety between 1904 and 1908. It always had a normal ramp entrance for traffic, although it had spiral steps for pedestrians (which is now closed)

This is a photo from 1909 showing the entrance ramp, so it is different to the Hamburg one which cars access by elevators









There is a large almost rightangle bend at one end, which is often thought it was created because it avoids the docks, but also doesn't allow the horses to see daylight until the last few minutes, so they didn't panic and bolt.









Pedestrians can also use the tunnel I believe.



Now, there is confusion as an earlier tunnel exists which was often called by the same name. It however is now used by the London Underground. It was originally called the Rotherhithe tunnel but then changed it's name to the Thames Tunnel. It was in fact the first underwater tunnel in the world.


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## Gatis (Sep 22, 2003)

Wow, thanks! Didn' t know about this. Cars should drive carefully there - looks narrow.


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