Virgin Trains gets green light for channel tunnel route Transport & Infrastructure Virgin Trains has moved a step closer to running train services between London and Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels, after the railway watchdog waved through its application to use the line connected London to the channel tunnel. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said on Monday it had given Sir Richard Branson’s train company the [...]
UK’s first high-speed railway HS1 faced cancellation months before Channel Tunnel opening Transport and infrastructure Ministers considered abandoning the High Speed 1 (HS1), the UK’s first high-speed railway that links London to the Channel Tunnel amid financial struggles just months before the cross-channel line was opened by Queen Elizabeth II, City AM can reveal. According to correspondence released by the National Archives, transport minister John MacGregor listed axing the high-speed [...]
Highest profit in over a decade for London St Pancras Highspeed Transport and infrastructure London St Pancras Highspeed, the company which runs the rail line between the capital and the Channel Tunnel, has reported its biggest profit for more than a decade. The business has achieved a pre-tax profit of £136.6m for the 12 months to 31 March, 2025, new accounts filed with Companies House show. The total is [...]
Uber unveils tie-up with Eurostar challenger May 21, 2025 Uber is planning a partnership deal with one of the firms seeking to oust Eurostar as the sole operator of the Channel Tunnel. Gemini Trains, spearheaded by the Labour peer Lord Berkeley, is one of several competitors looking to break Eurostar’s 30-year monopoly on cross-channel services. Passengers will be able to book tickets via the [...]
Eurostar routes could see double-decker trains May 14, 2025 Double-decker trains could be running through the Channel Tunnel in the coming years as part of proposals from the French rolling stock giant Alstom alongside Eurostar. Chief executive Henri Poupart-Lafarge told the Financial Times the trains would increase traffic on routes between London and Europe, which are traditionally operated by Eurostar. “The double-decker train has [...]
Avanti West Coast co-owner to launch €1bn Eurostar rival April 8, 2025 A co-owner of Avanti West Coast has confirmed plans to launch a €1bn (£856.6m) rival Eurostar which would run services between London and Paris. FS Italiane Group is looking to run a high-speed rail service between the two capitals by 2029. The group, which co-owns Avanti West Coast alongside FirstGroup, has put aside €1bn for [...]
British rail firms have the most expensive tickets in Europe December 9, 2024 British train companies are the priciest in Europe, new analysis has revealed. A study from campaign group Transport & Environment (T&E) listed Great Western Railway (GWR) Eurostar and Avanti West Coast as the top three most expensive European train firms by ticket price. GWR fares are around two and a half times greater than the [...]
Channel Tunnel operator ratchets up plans for Eurostar rival as competition heats up May 6, 2024 A challenger to Eurostar's monopoly is looking increasingly likely and Eurotunnel has said it is ratcheting up preparations.