GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Aug 22, 2026

Channel Tunnel

A forwarder plans a block train from Germany to the English Midlands with no ferry transfer, because the train runs through the Channel Tunnel.

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Last updated: 22 August 2026

Source: Frachtportal-News «DB Cargo UK sucht neuen Eigentümer – Verkaufsprozess läuft» (18.08.2026); Getlink/Eurotunnel

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Logistics Concept

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1 min

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Definition & Explanation

A forwarder plans a block train from Germany to the English Midlands with no ferry transfer, because the train runs through the Channel Tunnel. Opened in 1994, the tunnel links Coquelles near Calais with Folkestone in Kent, runs roughly 50 kilometres and consists of two single-track rail bores plus a service tunnel; the infrastructure is operated by Getlink (formerly Eurotunnel). Two traffic types matter for freight: through freight trains between mainland Europe and Great Britain, and the truck shuttle trains onto which road units are driven together with their drivers. Road vehicles cannot drive through the tunnel under their own power. Since Brexit, customs and border controls are mandatory, so clearance is handled upstream at the terminals. Not to be confused with the cross-Channel ferries, which offer high capacity but remain weather-dependent.