An audacious vision to link the continents of Africa and Europe via a deep-sea railway tunnel has received a significant boost. A major feasibility study has concluded that the ambitious project to bore beneath the Strait of Gibraltar is 'technically viable' using current technology.
A Colossal Engineering Challenge
The proposed tunnel, with an estimated cost of £7.4 billion, would stretch for approximately 26 miles. Nearly 17 miles of this route would be submerged, reaching a predicted depth of around 420 metres below sea level. This would make it far deeper than the Channel Tunnel, which has a maximum depth of 74 metres.
The study, commissioned by the Spanish government in October 2025 and conducted by German tunnel specialists Herrenknecht, confirms the fundamental possibility of drilling such a passage. However, it also highlights substantial technical hurdles. Researchers are now focusing on the complexities of constructing critical sections under the Camarinal Threshold, an area known for its difficult geological conditions.
Route, Timeline, and Transformative Impact
The plan envisions two separate railway tunnels, each carrying trains in one direction. A journey would begin in Madrid, stopping at Algeciras in southern Spain before entering the undersea link between Punta Paloma in Cádiz, Spain, and Cape Malabata near Tangier, Morocco. After emerging in Morocco, trains would proceed to Tangier and finally to Casablanca.
This connection promises to revolutionise travel and trade. The current 12-hour car and ferry journey from Madrid to Casablanca could be slashed to just five and a half hours by train, with the underwater crossing itself taking about 30 minutes. The tunnel would carry both high-speed passenger trains and freight, creating a faster, cheaper link between the two continents.
Revised Project Schedule
While initial hopes to complete the tunnel by the 2030 FIFA World Cup have been dismissed as 'unrealistic', a new blueprint is in development. Spanish consultancy Ineco is tasked with creating this detailed plan by 2027, the same year project approval could be sought from governments.
If approved, fieldwork could start in 2030, with the main construction phase scheduled between 2035 and 2040. These dates, however, remain provisional and subject to change based on further studies and funding.
The news of progress on the Gibraltar tunnel emerges as Italy's state-owned rail company, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS Group), announces its own international ambitions. With backing from American private equity firm Certares, FS Group aims to run trains through the Channel Tunnel to the UK by 2029, challenging Eurostar and Virgin.
