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

位于瑞士的世界最长最深铁路隧道在施工近20年后，近日正式宣告通车。

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.

这条全长57公里（35英里）的连拱隧道名叫圣哥达基线隧道，位于瑞士阿尔卑斯山山脚下，是一条连接南北欧的高速铁路隧道。

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.

瑞士当局表示，隧道的通车将在欧洲交通运输业掀起一场革命。目前每年靠几百万辆卡车运输的货物今后将改道于此。

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.

这条隧道超越了此前的世界之最--日本全长53.9公里的青函海底隧道，将全长50.5公里的英吉利海峡隧道挤到了第三的位置。

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".

瑞士总统约翰·施奈德·阿曼在隧道北端入口厄斯特费尔德发表的演讲中表示：“隧道的完工，对瑞士及邻近国家、整个欧洲大陆来说，都是一次飞跃。”

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欧，瑞士联邦交通部长多丽丝·洛伊特哈德发表了同步实时演讲。

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.

随后两列火车从两侧入口同时发车，每列车上坐着上百位在车票摇奖中胜出的乘客，这也标志着隧道全线通车。

A lavish¹ show then got under way for the assembled guests in Erstfeld, with dancers, acrobats², singers and musicians celebrating Alpine³ culture and history.

厄斯特费尔德随后举行了一场包括舞蹈，杂技，歌曲在内的大型演出，人们以种种方式赞美阿尔卑斯的历史与文化。

European leaders, including German Chancellor⁴ Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Austrian Chancellor Christian⁵ Kern also attended the day's events.

德国总理安格拉·默克尔、法国总统弗朗索瓦·奥朗德、意大利总理马泰奥·伦齐和奥地利总理克里斯蒂安·克恩等欧洲各国政要都出席了仪式。

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.

这些领导人在仪式结束后，同样登上列车穿越了整条隧道。奥朗德在隧道南面入口举行的仪式上发表了演讲，将圣哥达隧道和英吉利海峡隧道做了一番比较。

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."

奥朗德回顾了于1994年完工的英吉利海峡隧道，并表示：“人们如今竟然能以如此方式往返英法两地，这在过去简直匪夷所思。”

"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.

“此后英国和欧洲的联系愈发紧密，我希望（投票）那天英国人能想起这些，”奥朗德接着说道，波莱焦村的人群中爆发了一阵笑声和掌声。