Latest news with #Eurostar
Daily Mirror
16 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
UK's huge plan to launch direct trains from Britain to EU hotspot 681 miles away
A 'landmark' partnership between the UK and Germany will 'explore a direct rail link' between London and a stunning EU city dripping in history and culture - but it won't happen any time soon Millions of passengers could benefit from new trains connecting Brits to yet another European hotspot - but there's a catch. In what has been described as a 'landmark' partnership, the UK and Germany have unveiled a joint taskforce to 'explore a direct rail link' between the two countries. The move, announced as part of the bilateral treaty to be signed by Keir Starmer and Friedrich Merz, will see the nations break down logistical barriers stagnating European connectivity and establish the necessary border and security controls for direct long-distance rail passenger services. READ MORE: Beautiful 31-mile train journey past both mountains and beaches named UK's best It aims to provide an effective route linking London to Berlin, the capital and largest city of Germany renowned for its rich history, stunning architecture and vibrant nightlife. Here, you'll find the Holocaust memorial, the Berlin Wall's graffitied remains, and the 18th-century Brandenburg Gate. However, it appears the new route won't be launching any time soon, and could take as long as 10 years to get up and running. While the exact demand for a direct train from London to Berlin isn't clear, the route will provide a greener way of travelling than flying. Currently, travelling from London to Berlin via train takes around 10-11 hours, and includes stopovers in both Brussels and Cologne. "We're pioneering a new era of European rail connectivity and are determined to put Britain at the heart of a better-connected continent," said Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander. "This landmark agreement – part of a new treaty the Prime Minister signed with Chancellor Merz - has the potential to fundamentally change how millions of people travel between our two countries, offering a faster, more convenient and significantly greener alternative to flying." The politician went on to explain how a new taskforce will help bring the two nations 'closer together' as well as create new opportunities for tourism, business and cultural exchange. She described the economic potential as 'enormous', adding: "A direct rail link would support the creation of jobs and strengthen the vital trade links that underpin our economic relationship with Germany. "British businesses will have better access to European markets, whilst German companies will find it easier to invest and operate in the UK. This is central to our Plan for Change – breaking down barriers, thinking boldly about the future, and making long-term decisions that better connect Britain to the world. Working with Germany, we're building bridges between our people and paving the way for a more sustainable, connected future." The news comes hot off the heels of Eurostar's announcement that it will soon whizz Brits over from London to Frankfurt, home to one of the largest financial hubs in Europe, as well as launching direct routes from London to Geneva in Switzerland. As previously reported, the railway firm is ramping up its offerings as part of a major €2 billion (approximately £1.7bn) investment- following its impressive 2024 earnings. "Despite the challenging economic climate, Eurostar is growing and has bold ambitions for the future," Eurostar's CEO Gwendoline Cazenave said. "Our new fleet will make new destinations for customers a reality – notably direct trains between London and Germany, and between London and Switzerland for the first time. A new golden age of international sustainable travel is here."
The Guardian
17 hours ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Eurostar calls for ‘credible' Channel rail strategy as monopoly decision looms
Eurostar has urged the UK government to choose a 'credible long-term strategy' for international rail or risk 'falling behind' the rest of Europe, before a crucial decision by the regulator that could end its cross-Channel monopoly. The high-speed train operator warned that a 'premature' ruling from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to allow competitors to squeeze trains into existing facilities could jeopardise its planned investment and expansion. Instead it called for 'big-picture thinking' from the government to enable more capacity for overseas rail – which it said could produce more high-skilled jobs and growth. Eurostar is on the verge of finalising an order for 50 more high-speed trains to upgrade and expand its fleet, and has pledged new direct routes to Frankfurt and Geneva. A number of potential competitors are, however, hoping to break its 30-year exclusive hold on passenger train services through the Channel tunnel. Virgin Group, the British startup Gemini trains and a partnership between the Italian state rail operator, FS Italiane, and the Spanish company Evolyn are among those vying for space. While the owners of the rail infrastructure – the Eurotunnel parent, Getlink, and London St Pancras High Speed (formerly HS1) – are keen to drive more business, rivals have been unable to secure space to house and maintain high-speed trains in Great Britain. Capacity for more services has been focused on one functioning depot at Temple Mills, in east London, which Eurostar insists is full and can only accommodate its own growth plans with a €80m (£70m) investment. However, the ORR has said it believes there is space at the depot and invited applicants to submit proposals before a ruling. Eurostar's own response to the regulator, seen by the Guardian, sets out plans for expansion on the back of recent passenger growth, up 5% last year to 19.5 million, and agreements between the UK and Germany and Switzerland to facilitate direct routes. However, it also starkly sets out what it says would be the risk of a new operator sharing the depot, including a 'significant impact on the ability to operate' and disruption to customers. Eurostar suggested that the ORR should find 'that it would be premature to make any determination' and that it 'cannot assume the capacity … is actually deliverable'. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion Instead it said the ORR and government should outline its support and strategy for new depots, to be used by any company, including repurposing existing alternatives or building brand-new facilities. Gareth Williams, the general secretary at Eurostar, said: 'We believe there is an incredible opportunity to grow international rail … With demand for sustainable travel at an all-time high and growth being a key challenge for the country, the UK cannot afford to fall behind.' He said Eurostar's plans were financed and already under way, adding: 'Temple Mills is an important foundation of that future. We want to be a leading centre for European high-speed maintenance, bringing skilled jobs and industrial investment. The regulator, UK government and private investors have a unique moment now to make bold decisions to unlock the huge potential of international rail and encourage more European links for tourism, trade and education.' The decision by the ORR on whether Eurostar has to give up depot space to a competitor is expected in October.
Metro
a day ago
- Business
- Metro
Eurostar-style train to directly connect UK with Berlin and two more cities
Whether it's buzzing nightlife, an inclusive LGBTQ+ scene, historical sites or just a really good Currywurst, Berlin arguably has everything you'd need from a city break. And now, if you're looking for a greener way to travel to the German capital, plans for a direct train from London have been announced – and it could significantly chop journey times. Last week, Keir Starmer signed a 'first of its kind' treaty with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, which, as well as strengthening the relationship between the UK and Germany, also plans to establish a direct route between the capital and three German cities. Building the Eurostar-style links between London, Frankfurt and Cologne will be first on the list, while Berlin will be the final stop added across the roughly decade-long plan. At the moment, those looking to travel between the two cities need to take a Eurostar train from St Pancras to Bruxelles-Midi, changing for a service to Cologne and, finally, to Berlin Hauptbahnhof. While there are undoubtedly stunning views along the way, it takes between 10 and 11 hours door-to-door. Frankfurt isn't much better, as it can take up to nine hours, though it's hoped that the new route will shorten this to around five. This isn't the first time officials have looked at establishing a direct route between London and Frankfurt. In 2010, Deutsche Bahn tried (and failed) with proposals for the Inter City Express, but it shelved the plans after it encountered a mass of red tape and complications, including differences in train voltage, crossing borders and even tunnels. While we don't have any specifics right now, the plans have the potential to change how millions of people travel between the UK and Germany, with an estimated 3,200,000 Brits having visited in 2023. Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said that the government is 'determined to put Britain at the heart of a better-connected continent,' describing it as a 'landmark agreement.' 'A new task force will bring our nations closer together and create new opportunities for tourism, business and cultural exchange, building on a landmark deal we signed earlier this year to explore introducing direct services to Switzerland,' she added. And, as well as improving the transport links between the two, it's hoped that the London-Berlin line will support the economy in creating jobs and strengthen existing trade links, both of which are 'central' to the UK's 'Plan for Change.' Need inspiration on how to fill your time once your train arrives? Berlin is famous for its nightlife scene – but be warned, the Berghain is notoriously difficult to get into. Rumour has it that if you wear all-black, your chances of getting in are higher. If you don't manage to charm the bouncers, though, there's also the famous KitKat, a hedonistic sex club complete with a swimming pool and countless sex swings, or more PC options available at SchwuZ and Sisyphos. If you do go out on a Friday, though, you could end up partying until Monday, as the famous Berlin clubbing mantra goes. First opening its doors in 1985, the Schwules Museum (AKA, the Gay Museum) has long been a mainstay for documenting LGBTQ+ life. Found in one of the city's historic queer neighbourhoods, Regenbogenkiez is known as the Rainbow District, and has been a hub for LGBTQ+ Berliners since the 1910s. Writer Christopher Isherwood famously moved to Berlin in 1929, and local theatre Metropol (formerly the Neues Schauspielhaus) was a favourite haunt of his. Later transformed into the club, throughout the 1980s it was frequented by the likes of Depeche Mode, Morrissey, and the Human League. When it comes to foodie spots, if you're after a life-changing Currywurst, you'll be sure to find it at Konnopke's Imbiß, which started off as a sausage cart and later went on to serve East Berlin's first Currywurst in 1960. And of course, Burgermeister is known for its mouthwatering menu. If you want our recommendation, it has to be the chilli-cheeseburger. History buffs will be well acquainted with Checkpoint Charlie, a central crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin throughout the Cold War that famously appeared in multiple spy films, including James Bond's Octopussy and The Spy Who Came In From The Cold. While the final crossing between the two divided cities was made in June 1990, these days it's possible to visit the original booth that stood there at the Allied Museum. A photograph of a US soldier towers above the site, and there's more information on display at the Mauer (which means wall in German) Museum, as well as the Trabi Museum and Cold War BlackBox. More Trending Housed inside the former home of the East German secret police, the Stasi Museum displays the various objects used by the Stasi to control the residents of the DDR, including bugs, hidden cameras, and propaganda. A hugely emotive experience, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe documents the horror of the Nazi regime. The granite network is comprised of 2,711 concrete slabs measuring 19,000 square metres, with each stone remembering the 6,000,000 Jewish people who were murdered during the Holocaust. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Our Travel Editors' picks of underrated destinations in the easyJet summer 2026 sale MORE: Fans slam 'atrocious' immersive Elvis Presley show with tickets up to £300 MORE: I stayed in one of Europe's grandest hotels — a time warp of Old World glamour
Buzz Feed
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
How The Eurostar Connects Me With My Culture
I've been travelling to France with my family for as long as I can remember. My great-uncle, who's basically like my grandfather, lives in Lille. I first met him and the rest of that side of the family when I was eight. He still lives in a small flat where he raised his six children with his late wife. I have fond memories of living in that flat, where I spent continuous summers as a child.I'm originally from Congo, which is a massive part of my identity. While there is a large, growing community of Congolese people in the UK, there aren't nearly as many Congolese people here as there are in Belgium or France. So, being in France helps me connect with my heritage in a I got older and my life got busier, our visits to France became less frequent. My cousins moved from Lille to Paris and started growing their families, so it wasn't easy to see everyone all at once. But, after my great-uncle had a stroke a few months ago, we knew it was essential to make the effort to see him. So, we did what we knew best and booked a Eurostar ticket for a day trip to Lille. Eurostar and I go hand in hand. You'll never catch me on a plane to France if I have the option of taking the Eurostar. The yellow and white Eurostar train waits at the platform at Gare du Nord, a Paris train station. The Eurostar is the high speed train which goes through the Channel Tunnel from Paris to London. Fête de La Musique is a street party that takes place every year on the 21st of June. It's a celebration of the different music and cultures that exist in France. Even though the party has been taking place for over 40 years, it gained significant momentum last year on TikTok, with Black Brits showing a keen interest in the event. Have you been to Fête de La Musique before? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
The Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
When will there be a direct rail link from London to Switzerland?
Q How likely do you think it is that we'll get direct trains to Switzerland within the next few years? Geneva or Zurich would be great. Rebecca Halpern A Your question is pertinent because there has been much talk this week about extended European links from London St Pancras International. At present, the only options for travellers on Eurostar from the UK are to Lille and Paris in France, the Belgian capital Brussels, and the Dutch cities of Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Eurostar previously served many more destinations, as far south as Avignon and Marseille, but a combination of Brexit and Covid put paid to anything beyond the 'core' routes. These are highly profitable, and, with limited capacity at the St Pancras hub, Eurostar is content to continue with the same arrangement until the end of the decade. According to briefings from the UK government, new routes to Germany could open as soon as 2030. But the much-trumpeted proposal for direct trains between London and Berlin looks entirely fanciful; the journey would take nine hours, and the cost would be ferocious. Switzerland, though, is on the agenda for Eurostar. The company says it will launch a rail link from London to Zurich in the 'early 2030s'. The journey is expected to take five hours and 20 minutes. Announcing the plan, Eurostar's chief executive, Gwendoline Cazenave, promised: 'A new golden age of international sustainable travel is here.' Well, it will be, at some yet-to-be-determined date in the future. I pressed Eurostar to ask whether the link could actually be running by 2030, and was told that this is a possibility – though rail insiders to whom I have spoken say that it's a most ambitious estimate. Other operators are seeking to move into the UK-EU rail market. If any are allowed in, initially they will focus firmly on the richest pickings: London to Paris. If they extend beyond that, I believe the next targets could be Brussels and Antwerp, and possibly a combination of Charles de Gaulle airport and Disneyland Paris. Zurich and Geneva will be way down the pecking order. At a best guess, I believe that Eurostar will begin London-Cologne-Frankfurt trains in around 2032, with a Zurich link being introduced a year or two after that. Q I work for a big airport and am always getting it in the neck from friends and family about drop-off fees at the airport terminal. The news this week that almost nowhere else in the world has heard of such a thing is likely to make matters worse. Can you come up with a good riposte? Name supplied A The UK is, as ministers might say, world-leading in the field of charging for dropping off passengers outside the door of an airport. According to the RAC, 11 of the 20 biggest UK airports have increased their 'kiss and fly' charges since last summer. The field is currently led by Bristol, Gatwick, Leeds Bradford, Southampton and Stansted, all charging £7, while London City is now the only major airport with no fee. Charges began at Birmingham airport as a response to the terrorist attack at Glasgow airport in 2007, which required all terminals to rework their access system – basically, putting in barriers to prevent anyone from driving an explosives-laden vehicle into an airport. The West Midlands hub wanted to offset some of the cost. As it became clear that passengers were prepared to pay it, the idea spread quickly across the UK, although Gatwick and Heathrow were late to the party, only imposing the charge after the financial disaster of Covid. I think the airports can reasonably cite three lines of defence. The first, and most robust, is that it encourages passengers to arrive by public transport. For well-connected airports such as Birmingham, Gatwick and Manchester, this is particularly true. Next, with most airports breaking records in passenger numbers, it helps them to manage what would otherwise be difficult traffic. Finally, the cash – worth tens of millions each year at bigger airports – helps them to bring in new routes, to the traveller's benefit. The UK isn't just the world centre for drop-off charges, it is also the country with the most competitive airline business in Europe, and possibly the world. Finally, in case you get a 'but London City doesn't have one...' challenge: the Docklands airport is very different from the norm. Because most passengers are on short business trips and don't have heavy luggage, they don't take more than a few seconds to exit the car, and so congestion is not an issue. Also, the usual deal is that each airport has a remote drop-off location that is free, often walkable, and has a shuttle bus link. That would be impossible in the constrained road links around London City. Q I am flying to Bergerac in southwest France for a week's holiday, and am wondering about possible excursions from there – and whether I will need a rental car for them? Robin S A Bergerac, on a fold of the Dordogne River about 80 miles east of Bordeaux, is a lovely place to stay; the town is large enough to have some history and life, but calm even in the height of summer. The obvious city day trip is to Bordeaux, which will be most rewarding for its art and architecture. And you won't need a car: trains run roughly once an hour west from Bergerac, taking about 75 minutes each way. In the opposite direction, I am a fan of the 'hanging gardens of Marqueyssac' (les jardins suspendus de Marqueyssac). These beautifully cultivated gardens are in a spectacular setting above the right bank of the Dordogne. Across the river, the 13th-century chateau of Castelnaud-la-Chapelle is impressive, especially for the way it has been brought back to life by Kleber Rossillon. He and his synonymous company specialise in heritage development; think of it as a private-sector National Trust. To complete a triangle, the village of Beynac, back on the right bank, is a lovely village. La Petite Tonnelle on the main street is the place to eat, if you can get a table. Wander to the hilltop castle, too. The excursion is tricky without a car. Every couple of hours, there is a train from Bergerac to the nearby town of Sarlat, taking around an hour. But you will still be an expensive (€40/£35 or so) taxi ride away from your destination. So I suggest you rent a car for the day. Asking locally, you may well find a garage that will let you have one for around €75 – this is likely to be less expensive, and less hassle, than picking up a car from Bergerac airport. Q Why are there two flights from Newcastle to Malaga, on separate airlines, departing only half an hour apart? Surely there is no need for two flights that close together. Wouldn't it be sensible for one of them to fly later to provide another option? Poppy C A On Fridays and Saturdays this summer, Jet2 departs from Newcastle to Malaga at 7.05am, with Ryanair setting off on the same route within half an hour. There are no further flights to the Costa del Sol hub until the following morning. I agree it looks strange, and that the traveller would be better served by spacing them out: one in the morning, the other in the afternoon (allowing an evening return from Malaga, giving an extra day away). But each airline has a good reason for flying as it does. Both airlines want to get their Newcastle-based aircraft up and flying as soon as possible at the start of the day. Both typically want their planes to fly two 'rotations' (flights there and back) in a day. One is a shorter trip, such as the 1,275-mile haul to Malaga, typically taking slightly under three hours each way. The other may be a Canary Islands journey, covering more than 4,000 miles there and back. The shorter the first flight, the less likelihood of delays being incurred – simply because there is less scope for things to go wrong. So Ryanair typically deploys its Boeing 737s at Newcastle to go to mainland Spain in the morning – Alicante or Malaga – and Tenerife, Las Palmas or Fuerteventura in the afternoon. Jet2 has a much wider range of flights from Newcastle, including to Italy, the Greek islands, Malta, Bulgaria and Turkey, as well as the Spanish mainland and islands. The morning Malaga flight is typically followed by a longish trip – such as 2,000 miles each way to Antalya in southern Turkey. Pertinently, the two airlines are serving different markets. Most Jet2 passengers are on package holidays, and would not naturally be tempted by Ryanair. Conversely, Ryanair is the friend of the independent traveller. So while it is annoying to have to get up at silly o'clock because the only flights from Newcastle to Malaga on some days are before breakfast, there are reasons.
