All Aboard for a New Era of Travel: Eurostar to Launch Direct Services to Frankfurt and Geneva!

Eurostar is embarking on an ambitious expansion plan to introduce direct train services from London to Germany and Switzerland. With an investment of around €2 billion (£1.7 billion), the railway company aims to have a fleet of up to 50 new trains operational by the early 2030s. Travel times are projected to be approximately five hours to Frankfurt and around five hours and 20 minutes to Geneva.

Despite the challenges posed by rising operational costs and inflation impacting customer budgets, Eurostar’s CEO, Gwendoline Cazenave, emphasized a robust demand for sustainable international travel, declaring that “a new golden age of international sustainable travel is here.” This move is expected to lead to a 30% increase in services from London, as the new trains will also service routes to Geneva from Amsterdam and Brussels.

However, the expansion plan is contingent on infrastructure. The sole depot that can accommodate the larger continental trains, Temple Mills in east London, might not have enough capacity if competing firms like Evolyn, Virgin, and a partnership between Gemini Trains and Uber also require space. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is currently reviewing the proposals from these companies and Eurostar’s expansion plans, which could potentially complicate or derail the project. A decision is expected by the end of October.

In terms of growth, Eurostar has recently reported a 5% increase in passengers in 2024, reaching a record 19.5 million passengers across all services last year. In addition to the new routes, the firm plans to enhance service frequency on its popular route between London and Paris. Currently, Eurostar’s network includes destinations in Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, along with seasonal services to the French Alps, and trains operating within France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. A partnership between Getlink, the owner of the Channel Tunnel, and London St Pancras Highspeed, has also been established to facilitate an increase in services to Europe.