# Thalys -- tunnel outside Leiden



## DingDong (Jun 23, 2012)

I'm on the Thalys headed from Schiphol to Paris now. Just went through an enormous tunnel outside Leiden. Does anyone know the point of that tunnel? The train is going through flat farmland and it seems a very odd place to build a very long tunnel.


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## jis (Jun 23, 2012)

DingDong said:


> I'm on the Thalys headed from Schiphol to Paris now. Just went through an enormous tunnel outside Leiden. Does anyone know the point of that tunnel? The train is going through flat farmland and it seems a very odd place to build a very long tunnel.


Avoiding congestion on the existing lines without disrupting existing city blocks? Not very uncommon at all. E.g. the Narita Express Line through Tokyo, the new tunnel under Antwerp etc.

Heck if Amtrak plans come to fruition in 30 years there may be such a tunnel under Manhattan NY, Philadelphia PA, and Baltimore MD too.


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## DingDong (Jun 23, 2012)

According to wikipedia, "This tunnel was built to protect the character of the _Groene Hart_ region."


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## guest (Jun 26, 2012)

...which means "Green Heart". They make a sincere effort in Europe to preserve farmland and other open space whenever possible, especially in the Low Countries where arable land is at a premium.


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