Italian education minister Gelmini on the ministry official website states that italian government contributed with an amount of 45 millions euro for the “building of the tunnel connecting CERN and Gran Sasso labs”.

Usually we learn italian regions and the states around Italy at primary grade.

CERN is situated in the nearby of Geneva, while Gran Sasso mount, where Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso - LNGS -  particle physics laboratory are placed, is in the nearby of L’Aquila.

We made an approximate count of the distance, it would be more or less 700 kms at least, the tunnel would be placed at 11 km in depth.

But I guess it could count now on a High Speed Rail faster than light…

I will update if also the ministry of transport will announce something about it.

the screenshot above is taken from italian education ministry official website

italian comment

thanks to @uomoinpolvere for the estimate