ADVERTISEMENTEurope’s rail renaissance is showing no signs of slowing as high-speed rail operator Eurostar reveals ambitious plans to expand its network.
The company says it will introduce direct train connections from London to Germany and Switzerland, in what it calls the dawn of a "new golden age of international sustainable travel".
The operator is also enhancing its existing offering by increasing services on popular routes.
Here’s what travellers can look forward to.
Eurostar plans direct train services from the UK to Germany and Switzerland
Eurostar’s proposed expansion includes establishing direct rail links between London St Pancras International and two key European destinations: Frankfurt in Germany and Geneva in Switzerland.
The company plans to invest approximately €2 billion to acquire a substantial fleet of up to 50 new trains for the routes.
These new services are expected to begin operating during the early 2030s and aim to rival air travel for the same trips.
And journey times make the rail alternative attractive. Passengers travelling between London and Frankfurt can expect to arrive in approximately five hours, while those heading to Geneva will make the journey in around five hours and 20 minutes.
Eurostar has not yet released details on intermediate stops and whether passengers will have the flexibility to get on and off at various points along the route.
The new services are particularly aimed at business travel, with Eurostar's Chief Executive, Gwendoline Cazenave, highlighting that the destinations are “big financial hubs”.
Frankfurt and Geneva are also tourist hotspots, filled with culture, striking architecture and international events.
Dates for the launch remain approximate as there are still several logistical challenges to implementing these new routes.
These include expanding passenger facilities at destination stations, establishing new border control checkpoints, and securing track access agreements.
Despite these hurdles, Cazenave remains optimistic about the project's success, citing strong commitment from Eurostar, passenger demand, and government support.
Eurostar to increase services along popular routes
Eurostar’s expanded fleet will also enable it to increase frequency on popular routes.
This includes boosting daily return services between London and Paris from 17 to 20.
The company has also confirmed plans to introduce a fourth daily return service between St Pancras and Amsterdam beginning on 9 September, with a fifth service added from mid-December.
Currently, Eurostar operates services connecting London to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, and seasonal routes to the French Alps during the winter sports season. It also runs train links within Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands.
The operator transported 19.5 million passengers last year - a five per cent increase from 18.6 million in 2023. The London-Paris route proved most popular with 280,000 passengers, followed by London-Brussels with 250,000 passengers.
While Eurostar currently enjoys a monopoly on passenger services through the Channel Tunnel, several competitors are developing plans to challenge this, including Virgin Group, Italy's FS Italiane Group, and Gemini Trains.