HS2 finishes 10-mile tunnel underneath the Chiltern Hills

Monday, 19 January 2026 13:00

Construction has been completed on HS2’s longest tunnel beneath the Chiltern Hills.

HS2 Ltd says trains travelling at up to 200 miles an hour will pass through the ten-mile Chiltern tunnel in just three minutes.

The tunnel includes specially designed extensions to prevent sonic booms – loud pressure blasts caused when high-speed trains enter tunnels.

Work was completed using two tunnel boring machines, with five deep ventilation shafts and 40 emergency cross passages.

HS2 says it marks major progress, though significant work and cost reviews still lie ahead.

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