Eurostar’s new rival – could run trains from Manchester and Birmingham to Europe | World | News
Eurostar will soon have a rival as new direct, high-speed train services from London to Europe are given the green light to pass through the Channel Tunnel. Virgin Trains, owned by billionaire Sir Richard Branson, has been selected by the Office for Rail and Road (ORR) to use the Temple Mills International depot in East London.
Temple Mills is located at the only train depot accessible from HS1 (the line between London and the Channel Tunnel); This means access here is crucial for any company looking to run trains to Europe. Access to the depot means Virgin can maintain and store trains, ending Eurostar’s monopoly on the Channel Tunnel. This will be the first train service to rival Eurostar since its launch more than 30 years ago. Sir Richard described this as “a huge hurdle we have had to overcome” in the process.
He said: “ORR’s decision is the right one for consumers – it is now time to end this 30-year monopoly and bring some Virgin magic to the cross-Channel route.
“Virgin is no stranger to delivering award-winning rail services and, just as we have successfully challenged incumbents in the air, cruise and rail sector, we are ready to do so again. We will completely transform the cross-channel route and give consumers the choice they deserve.”
This opens the door for the UK to serve a number of new cities across Europe, including Cologne, Lyon, Frankfurt, Geneva and cities south of Paris.
Virgin says it wants to operate trains between London’s St Pancras station and the city centers of Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam by 2030.
Earlier this month the company even said it could operate services from Manchester and Birmingham if it won the tender.
Virgin said it would also stop at Kent’s Ashford International and Ebbsfleet International stations, which had Eurostar trains until the Covid outbreak, if they reopen.
But Virgin still has a few more issues to overcome, with additional regulatory approvals required and the company’s trains needing track access and safety approval before they can begin international services.
Eurostar has seen a record number of passengers in 2024, with a total of 19.5 million customers.
However, traveling by Eurostar is often much more expensive than flying to Paris, especially if you book tickets during peak hours. Last year it was named Europe’s worst-performing train operator, scoring poorly for reliability and price.
