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National Geographic
15-06-2025
- Business
- National Geographic
Eurostar is about to get competition. Here's why it's good news for travelers
This story was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Passengers travelling to Europe by rail could see a raft of new train operators in the coming years. Eurostar — which has always had a monopoly on services between London and Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam — now faces the biggest threat of competition since it launched its first train through the Channel Tunnel in 1994. With the promise of more choice and lower prices, could this be good news for travellers? What's the latest? A handful of companies are vying for access to HS1 — the high-speed line between London and Folkestone — including Virgin Trains and Spanish start-up Evolyn in partnership with Italy's FS Italiane Group. Virgin is preparing to order a dozen high-speed trains to run through the tunnel. In March, UK start-up Gemini Trains announced it had applied for a train operator's licence and access to the tracks through the Channel Tunnel. It believes it could launch services in 2029, as do Virgin and FS Italiane Group/Evolyn. Why the sudden competition? Cross-channel rail travel has bounced back significantly since the pandemic, in part because of the surge in popularity of rail holidays prompted by environmental concerns. Eurostar recorded its best year in 2024, carrying 19.5 million passengers in total. The cross-Channel routes saw the biggest increases, with London-Paris up 280,000 and London-Brussels up 250,000. In January, the Office for Rail and Road (ORR), the regulator, also forced HS1 to cut charges for using the track from London to the Channel Tunnel in a bid to attract more operators to the route. All of this makes the prospect of more services attractive. 'The high-speed line connecting London and the Continent through the Channel Tunnel is one of the great rail routes,' says Adrian Quine, chief executive of Gemini Trains. Is there room for such expansion? London St Pancras Highspeed (LSPH), the company responsible for the London station and the high-speed track to Folkestone, has drawn up plans to triple capacity at the notoriously congested station. This would allow it to expand the international departure area and accommodate up to 5,000 passengers an hour — an increase from 1,800 an hour. In February, LSPH and Getlink, the French operator of the Channel Tunnel, agreed to work together to 'grow international rail connectivity between the UK and Europe'. Getlink has been vocal in promoting the fact there's plenty of spare capacity in the tunnels. In late 2023, its designers forecast that traffic would double over the following 10 years. What could it mean for travellers? The ultimate prize would be more destination choice and, with greater competition on existing routes, cheaper fares. Getlink hopes to see direct passenger services to Frankfurt, Cologne, Geneva and Zurich. Eventually, services could reach as far as Milan. Yann Leriche, chief executive of Getlink, says, 'We're keen to drive forward attractive opportunities for low-carbon [travel] with a range of new destinations in Germany, Switzerland and France.' Ministers have said that competition on the line would 'bring prices down'. They highlighted the effects of competition on the East Coast Main Line, where challenger operators like Lumo have driven down fares and increased passenger numbers. What are the hurdles? Any new operator would need permission to run on both sides of the Channel. Post Brexit, the process of obtaining clearance is more bureaucratic. Eurostar is also nervous that new entrants will hamper its plans to carry 30 million passengers by 2030. A row has erupted over access to the only UK rail maintenance depot on the high-speed route, which it says is at full capacity. The claim was dismissed in March by the ORR, which said that two of the depot's eight maintenance lanes are underused and could be allocated to the rival companies. Eurostar dismissed the regulator's report findings. It says, 'The options presented in the report could help create some capacity, but this wouldn't be enough to accommodate the stated ambitions of any single operator.' The hope is that the hurdles can be overcome. The results could be good news for travellers hoping to switch to rail — but it might be a long time coming. Published in the June 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
Scottish Sun
28-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Huge boost for Brits as UK railway station set to get first direct trains to Europe in nearly a decade
And the three other train operators wanting to take on Eurostar ON TRACK Huge boost for Brits as UK railway station set to get first direct trains to Europe in nearly a decade Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MAJOR UK train station could get new routes to Europe again - five years after they were scrapped. Ebbsfleet International in Kent used to be a stopping station for Eurostar. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 A railway station in Kent could get international trains again - the first in nearly a decade Credit: Alamy 3 Ebbsfleet International used to be a stopping station for Eurostar Credit: Alamy This included six trains a day to Paris and Brussels as well as four trains a week to Disneyland Paris. However, these were suspended back in 2020 due to the pandemic, with them yet to be restored. The station is now only currently used by HS1 between London and Kent. But Eurostar rival Gemini - who recently confirmed they had partnered with Uber - has revealed plans to stop at the station when they launch their new routes. Gemini CEO Adrian Quine told the BBC: "It's very important because Eurostar no longer stop in Kent and there's eight million people who live in the south-east of England, outside the M25, for whom having a direct service to the continent is extremely important. "Ebbsfleet is a perfect station. It's designed for international traffic, it's got a massive car park, it's very well connected via the road network and it's connected to the rest of Kent via the HS1 service. "We're proposing every train stops there." The new European route is likely to start from 2029, nearly a decade after the station stopped having international train services. And Gemini also revealed plans to operate from Stratford International Station rather than London St Pancras. If this goes ahead, it would be the first time the station ever has trains to Europe, despite being an "international" station. Top 5 Picturesque Train Journeys in Europe This also means it would have to undergo huge infrastructure improvements to be able to handle passport and security control. Until then, Brits can only hop on a train to Europe from St Pancras, with Eurostar also suspending routes via Ashford International during the pandemic. International routes from the Kent train station are unlikely to return anytime soon, with a Eurostar spokesperson saying they would "look into it" again in 2026. And it's not just Gemini wanting to take on Eurostar. Start up operator Evolyn announced plans for trains between London and Paris back in 2023. Earlier this year, FS Italiane Group said they wanted to launch a new train service between London and Paris by 2029. And Virgin also wants to launch UK-Europe routes, with plans to buy 12 trains, costing £500million. Here are seven European cities that could get a direct train route from the UK in the future. And we've rounded up the four Eurostar routes that have been scrapped in recent years.
The Sun
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Huge boost for Brits as UK railway station set to get first direct trains to Europe in nearly a decade
A MAJOR UK train station could get new routes to Europe again - five years after they were scrapped. Ebbsfleet International in Kent used to be a stopping station for Eurostar. 3 3 This included six trains a day to Paris and Brussels as well as four trains a week to Disneyland Paris. However, these were suspended back in 2020 due to the pandemic, with them yet to be restored. The station is now only currently used by HS1 between London and Kent. But Eurostar rival Gemini - who recently confirmed they had partnered with Uber - has revealed plans to stop at the station when they launch their new routes. Gemini CEO Adrian Quine told the BBC: "It's very important because Eurostar no longer stop in Kent and there's eight million people who live in the south-east of England, outside the M25, for whom having a direct service to the continent is extremely important. "Ebbsfleet is a perfect station. It's designed for international traffic, it's got a massive car park, it's very well connected via the road network and it's connected to the rest of Kent via the HS1 service. "We're proposing every train stops there." The new European route is likely to start from 2029, nearly a decade after the station stopped having international train services. And Gemini also revealed plans to operate from Stratford International Station rather than London St Pancras. If this goes ahead, it would be the first time the station ever has trains to Europe, despite being an "international" station. Top 5 Picturesque Train Journeys in Europe This also means it would have to undergo huge infrastructure improvements to be able to handle passport and security control. Until then, Brits can only hop on a train to Europe from St Pancras, with Eurostar also suspending routes via Ashford International during the pandemic. International routes from the K ent train station are unlikely to return anytime soon, with a Eurostar spokesperson saying they would "look into it" again in 2026. And it's not just Gemini wanting to take on Eurostar. Start up operator Evolyn announced plans for trains between London and Paris back in 2023. Earlier this year, FS Italiane Group said they wanted to launch a new train service between London and Paris by 2029. And Virgin also wants to launch UK-Europe routes, with plans to buy 12 trains, costing £500million. Here are seven European cities that could get a direct train route from the UK in the future. And we've rounded up the four Eurostar routes that have been scrapped in recent years. 3
The Irish Sun
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Huge boost for Brits as UK railway station set to get first direct trains to Europe in nearly a decade
A MAJOR UK train station could get new routes to Europe again - five years after they were scrapped. Ebbsfleet International in Kent used to be a stopping station for Eurostar. 3 A railway station in Kent could get international trains again - the first in nearly a decade Credit: Alamy 3 Ebbsfleet International used to be a stopping station for Eurostar Credit: Alamy This included six trains a day to Paris and Brussels as well as four trains a week to Disneyland Paris. However, these were suspended back in 2020 due to the pandemic , with them yet to be restored. The station is now only currently used by HS1 between London and Kent. But Eurostar rival Gemini - who recently Read more on UK trains Gemini CEO Adrian Quine told the England , outside the M25, for whom having a direct service to the continent is extremely important. "Ebbsfleet is a perfect station. It's designed for international traffic, it's got a massive car park, it's very well connected via the road network and it's connected to the rest of Kent via the HS1 service. "We're proposing every train stops there." The new European route is likely to start from 2029, nearly a decade after the station stopped having international train services. Most read in News Travel And Gemini also revealed plans to operate from If this goes ahead, it would be the first time the station ever has trains to Europe , despite being an "international" station. Top 5 Picturesque Train Journeys in Europe This also means it would have to undergo huge infrastructure improvements to be able to handle passport and security control. Until then, Brits can only hop on a train to Europe from St Pancras, with Eurostar also suspending routes via Ashford International during the pandemic. International routes from the K And it's not just Gemini wanting to take on Eurostar. Earlier this year, And Virgin also wants to launch UK-Europe routes, with plans to buy 12 trains, costing £500million. Here are And we've rounded up the 3 The station is currently only used by HS1 between London and Kent Credit: Alamy
Time Out
27-05-2025
- Business
- Time Out
Uber has revealed plans to run trains to Europe from Stratford in east London
For a long time, the Eurostar has been the only passenger train ferrying Brits from London, under the Channel and onto the Continent. But not for long. In recent years cross-Channel ambitions have been revealed by the likes of Deutsche Bahn and Evolyn, while Virgin has announced a new service that will be a direct competitor with the OG London-Paris line, due to launch in 2029. Now there's been an update for yet another Eurostar competitor. It involves Gemini Trains, which is led by Labour peer Tony Berkeley and was launched back in March. Gemini will be teaming up with Uber to launch a new international train line, that could take Londoners en train to Paris and Brussels from Stratford in the heart of east London. 'Stratford is a bit of a blank canvas,' said Adrian Quine, chief executive of Gemini Trains. 'It's a bit like London City airport as opposed to Heathrow or Gatwick: it's very quick and easy to get through. It's going to be far less crowded, so we think it's a bit of a jewel in the crown.' When the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (AKA High Speed 1, HS1) was built back in 2007 Stratford International station was fitted out to handle passengers heading across the Channel from London, but it was never used for this purpose. The HS1 Stratford station has only been used by domestic Southeastern trains using the high-speed track to stations in Kent. Quine said a Stratty to Paris train could be 'as quick, if not quicker' than the service from St Pancras. He said that Londoners could be hopping on in east London and hopping off at Paris Nord or Brussels Midi by 2030.
