Intercontinental and transoceanic fixed links
Permanent road/rail connections between continents
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Related on Lably
Through Rail transport, Pakistan and India
This is a list of proposed and actual transport links between continents and to offshore islands. See also list of bridge–tunnels for another list of fixed links including links across rivers, bays and lakes.
History
Cosmopolitan Railway
In 1890 William Gilpin first proposed to connect all the continents by land via the Cosmopolitan Railway. Significant elements of that proposal, such as the English Channel Tunnel, have been constructed since that era. However, the improvement of the global shipping industry and advent of international air travel has reduced the demand for many intercontinental land connections.
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Existing or under construction
Proposed
Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea
Iran and Qatar (who will take most part of the project's financing) have plans for an underwater tunnel connecting the two countries, being planned to be the longest tunnel in the world (having 190 km). It would link the Iranian port of Bandar-e Deyr to an unspecified location in Qatar across the Persian Gulf in both road and railway sections; however, a road tunnel is not considered very feasible due to the long distance. It had the support of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organisation managing director, Ali Akbar Safaei, and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who expect the creation of a joint Qatar-Iran committee with the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Also, it will create a straight and direct route between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Iran proposed to build an overpass bridge over the strait of Hormuz that will link Iran economically to GCC countries and Yemen through 39 km road link between Oman's Musandam exclave and southern Iran. The idea was having the support of Iranian Ambassador to Oman Ali Akbar Sibeveih.
The Persian Gulf Bridge in Qeshm–Bandar Abbas (Iran) will be a 2.4 km (1.5 mi) long road-rail bridge, connecting Qeshm Island to mainland Iran, from the historic port of Laft to Pahal port in Bandar Abbas (Hormozgan Province). It was proposed to build an undersea tunnel instead of a bridge, but was rejected due to high costs.
The Saudis were exploring two options to build a 400 km tunnel or bridge to link Gwadar (in Pakistan) with Muscat (in Oman) at the mouth of Strait of Hormuz at one end. The objective was to bypass its trade routes (including for oil supplies) with Iran and Qatar, because of the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict, also to extend the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative.
A 1,200 miles (1,900 km) tunnel, carrying Maglev trains, is planned to connect India’s biggest city Mumbai and emirate Fujairah (United Arab Emirates) through the Arabian Sea in a high-speed railway line to transport passengers, tourists and workers in just 2 hours. It had the support of Abdullah Alshehhi, chief consultant of Abu Dhabi National Advisory Office (a Masdar City-based consultancy), and the Gulf Cooperation Council. It is considered the longest submarine tunnel project in the world and will have a depth of 15,000 feet below the surface of the Indian Ocean.
Also, Karachi (Pakistan) and Muscat (Oman) are also included future plans of train stations, making provision for a road to be constructed within the tunnel for cars and trucks as well as a floating hotel, shopping centres and fuel stations, featuring pipelines for oil and water. Expansion of the project might include the One Belt One Road Initiative, linking China to Pakistan economic corridor at Gwadar Port with UAE, through the Fujairah port to complement the Chinese silk road.