全球最長鐵路隧道在瑞士正式開通

The world's longest and deepest rail tunnel has officially opened in Switzerland, after almost two decades of construction work.

位於瑞士的世界最長最深鐵路隧道在施工近20年後，近日正式宣告通車。

The 57km (35-mile) twin-bore Gotthard base tunnel will provide a high-speed rail link under the Swiss Alps between northern and southern Europe.

這條全長57公里（35英里）的連拱隧道名叫聖哥達基線隧道，位於瑞士阿爾卑斯山山腳下，是一條連接南北歐的高速鐵路隧道。

Switzerland says it will revolutionise European freight transport. Goods currently carried on the route by a million lorries a year will go by train instead.

瑞士當局表示，隧道的通車將在歐洲交通運輸業掀起一場革命。目前每年靠幾百萬輛卡車運輸的貨物今後將改道於此。

The tunnel has overtaken Japan's 53.9km Seikan rail tunnel as the longest in the world and pushed the 50.5km Channel Tunnel linking the UK and France into third place.

這條隧道超越了此前的世界之最--日本全長53.9公里的青函海底隧道，將全長50.5公里的英吉利海峽隧道擠到了第三的位置。

In a speech to guests in Erstfeld, near the northern entrance to the tunnel, Swiss Federal President Johann Schneider-Ammann said it was a "giant step for Switzerland but equally for our neighbours and the rest of the continent".

瑞士總統約翰·施奈德·阿曼在隧道北端入口厄斯特費爾德發表的演講中表示：“隧道的完工，對瑞士及鄰近國家、整個歐洲大陸來說，都是一次飛躍。”

A live relay carried a speech from the southern end of the tunnel, in Bodio, by the Swiss federal transport minister, Doris Leuthard.

而在隧道南端入口的波狄歐，瑞士聯邦交通部長多麗絲·洛伊特哈德發表了同步實時演講。

Afterwards two trains set off in opposite directions through the tunnel, each carrying hundreds of guests who had won tickets in a draw, and the new route was formally open.

隨後兩列火車從兩側入口同時發車，每列車上坐着上百位在車票搖獎中勝出的乘客，這也標誌着隧道全線通車。

A lavish show then got under way for the assembled guests in Erstfeld, with dancers, acrobats, singers and musicians celebrating Alpine culture and history.

厄斯特費爾德隨後舉行了一場包括舞蹈，雜技，歌曲在內的大型演出，人們以種種方式讚美阿爾卑斯的歷史與文化。

European leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern also attended the day's events.

德國總理安格拉·默克爾、法國總統弗朗索瓦·奧朗德、意大利總理馬泰奧·倫齊和奧地利總理克里斯蒂安·克恩等歐洲各國政要都出席了儀式。

Mr Hollande, who took part with others in a follow-up trip through the tunnel on a train, emerged on the southern side to give a speech in which he compared the Gotthard to the Channel Tunnel.

這些領導人在儀式結束後，同樣登上列車穿越了整條隧道。奧朗德在隧道南面入口舉行的儀式上發表了演講，將聖哥達隧道和英吉利海峽隧道做了一番比較。

Recalling the great Franco-British project, which was completed in 1994, he said: "Nobody could have imagined that one day you would be able to travel from England to France in that way."

奧朗德回顧了於1994年完工的英吉利海峽隧道，並表示：“人們如今竟然能以如此方式往返英法兩地，這在過去簡直匪夷所思。”

"Since then we are more united than ever and I hope the British will remember that when the day comes," he added, to laughter and applause from the audience in the Swiss village of Pollegio.

“此後英國和歐洲的聯繫愈發緊密，我希望（投票）那天英國人能想起這些，”奧朗德接着說道，波萊焦村的人羣中爆發了一陣笑聲和掌聲。