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Underground tunnels have long fascinated people, as they are structures that require immense effort and expense to build. Many of them are also associated with historical milestones, reflecting humanity's will and determination to survive. Below is a list of the 6 most worthwhile tunnel tours in the world, as selected by Traveller magazine.
Glasgow Central Railway Station, Scotland
On the surface, Glasgow's largest train station is a magnificent castle with architecture characteristic of the Victorian era. The station is incredibly busy, welcoming tens of thousands of passengers every day.
However, it's the "underground" part that's truly special about this station! The hour-long tunnel tour is one of the most intriguing and potentially emotionally impactful attractions for visitors. The tour is designed to introduce the station's history to visitors, connecting them to an important part of Glasgow's history and its people.
During the war, this tunnel area served as a refuge for city residents. The tour guide will tell visitors the tragic and heartbreaking stories of this bomb-ridden era.
Cu Chi Tunnels - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Built using extremely rudimentary tools from the time of the resistance against the French, the Cu Chi Tunnels are considered a must-visit destination for tunnel tourism enthusiasts. Therefore, Cu Chi is also one of the hottest destinations for foreign tourists visiting Ho Chi Minh City.
At this historical site, visitors can choose from two different tunnel experience areas. The first area, located in Ben Dinh, features a narrower but more authentic tunnel system that attracts more visitors. Visitors can crawl through sections of the tunnels, then explore the combat bunkers, kitchens, ammunition depots, sewing workshops, and even the field hospital. Meanwhile, the Ben Duoc tunnel system has sections that are more accessible to international visitors due to their more manageable size, having been expanded later.
Also in this article, Traveller magazine mentions the tunnels at the Reunification Palace and the Vinh Moc tunnels in Quang Tri as other amazing tunnel tours that tourists can explore in Vietnam.
Winston Churchill's bomb shelter, London, England
Boasting one of the world's oldest and largest underground subway systems, it's easy to understand why London is on the list of destinations for tunnel tourism enthusiasts. The highlight of the trip will be an abandoned underground station – once used as a bomb shelter for British Prime Minister Winston Churchill during World War II.
The location is situated between Hyde Park Corner and Green Park, Down Street station. The underground station operated for 25 years before closing in 1932. Eight years later, it was repurposed as a secret underground command center for Prime Minister Churchill during the 57 days and nights of the Nazi bombing of London.
The tunnel tour to this location is organized into small groups, starting from Down Street and lasting 90 minutes. The tour is very popular and tickets often sell out quickly, so if you plan to visit, you need to prepare in advance.
Victoria Tunnel, Newcastle, England
Another famous tunnel in England is the Victoria Tunnel. It was originally built to transport coal over a distance of 4 km from Town Moor to the River Tyne, where it was then loaded onto cargo ships.
This tunnel is quite spacious, large enough for trucks to pass through. The entire tunnel system is also paved with gravel to facilitate easier movement. Opened in 1842, the tunnel only operated for 18 years. Afterward, during World War II, it was used as a bomb shelter for local residents.
A 700-meter section of this tunnel was recently opened to tourists. Tours last from one to two hours and feature numerous historical artifacts. The Victoria Tunnel tour has quickly become one of the most popular activities for visitors to Newcastle.
Tunnel in the Demilitarized Zone, South Korea
In the 1970s, 20 years after the Korean War, South Korea announced the discovery that North Korea had been digging a secret tunnel beneath the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas.
With a scale large enough to transport artillery, weapons, and 3,000 soldiers per hour, the tunnel was believed to be intended for use in a southward advance. However, North Korea denied this, claiming it was merely a disused coal mine tunnel.
Today, the tunnel is under South Korean management, and visitors can take a tunnel tour to the site. The centerpiece is an underground tunnel section at a depth of 250 meters, extending to a location just 40 kilometers from the capital city of Seoul.
Fremantle Prison, Australia
This prison tunnel tour in Western Australia requires visitors to be both fit and fit. After being fully equipped with safety gear, visitors will have to descend 20 meters to explore a labyrinth of tunnels dug by prisoners.
One of the purposes of creating this tunnel system was to provide fresh water for daily life, as well as to serve as a form of forced labor for prisoners serving sentences there. Since 1992, it has operated as a museum, attracting more than 130,000 visitors annually.
This expedition is anything but simple, as visitors will experience both the dry and wet parts of the prison. For the flooded sections, visitors will board a boat and paddle to further explore the system. Those who enjoy adventure can participate in a nighttime prison exploration tour, using flashlights.
