Following in the tradition of the Channel Tunnel that connects England with France, and the Seikan Tunnel, which connects the Japanese islands of Honshu and Hokkaido, New Zealand's two main islands are soon to be connected by an undersea tunnel. Plans are afoot to engineer a underground train link from the outskirts of Wellington on the North Island to the coastal town of Rarangi on the South Island.
Currently access between the North and South islands is across the Cook Strait by ferry. At its narrowest point the two islands are only 23km apart, but the ferry weaves a 70km path between Wellington Harbour and Picton via the Marlborough Sounds. The 3hr crossing can be rough across open water which is perhaps the trade-off for the highly enjoyable cruise through the picturesque Sounds.
However, this new tunnel, which is scheduled to open in 2015, will provide a high speed link between Wellington and Christchurch, New Zealand's second and third largest cities reducing travelling times by several hours.
It's sound plausible to me, I mean, the Channel Tunnel seemed like a pretty wacky idea when it was first suggested...but for now, across the water as opposed to under the water, remains the best link between North and South Islands. Happy 1st April.
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