International train travel from London St Pancras could be set for a major expansion, potentially connecting the UK capital directly with destinations like Germany and Switzerland.
St Pancras Highspeed, owner of the station and the high-speed lines to the Channel Tunnel, has announced ambitious plans to significantly boost the station’s capacity, paving the way for new international routes.
The company aims to increase passenger throughput from 1,800 to nearly 5,000 per hour, encouraging both new and existing train operators to establish services.
Currently, Eurostar holds the sole passenger service license through the Channel Tunnel, offering connections to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. However, this proposed expansion could break Eurostar’s monopoly and open up opportunities for other operators to offer direct services to a wider range of destinations.
This development comes after Eurostar’s decision to discontinue direct services between London and Disneyland Paris in June 2023 and the cessation of its London to southern France routes.
The increased capacity at St Pancras and the potential for new operators could fill the gap left by these discontinued services and provide travellers with more options for international rail travel. The move could also see the return of direct routes to destinations previously served by Eurostar, as well as the introduction of entirely new connections.
Spanish start-up company Evolyn and billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group are developing proposals to launch rival services.
Getlink – the French owner of the Channel Tunnel – believes there is the potential for services between London and locations such as Bordeaux, Cologne, Frankfurt, Geneva, Marseille and Zurich.
London St Pancras Highspeed and Getlink have signed a memorandum of understanding to commit to expanding rail connectivity.
Robert Sinclair, the former’s chief executive, said the companies will “actively work together to encourage new and existing train operators to expand capacity and launch new destinations unlocking the potential of a fully connected Europe”.
He added that he wants rail to be “the preferred option for travelling to Europe”.
Getlink chief executive Yann Leriche said: “We are keen to drive forward attractive opportunities for low-carbon mobility with a range of new destinations in Germany, Switzerland and France.
“This partnership with London St Pancras Highspeed is an essential catalyst for accelerating this growth momentum.”
