Eurostar will begin running double-decker trains through the Channel Tunnel for the first time, the company announced Wednesday, as it braces for increased competition on its cross-Channel routes between London and mainland Europe.
Eurostar is investing 2 billion euros in up to 50 new electric double-decker trains built by French manufacturer Alstom. The international high-speed company is aiming to grow its annual passenger count to 30 million by the early 2030s – a 50 percent increase from current levels.
This major investment comes as Eurostar faces rising competition on the cross-Channel route linking the UK and France, potentially ending its three-decade monopoly on passenger rail services.
Operators including Italy’s Trenitalia, the UK’s Virgin Group, Spain’s Evolyn, and Dutch startup Heuro have all expressed interest in launching services through the Channel Tunnel.
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Double-decker trains
Eurostar CEO Gwendoline Cazenave described the Alstom deal as a "milestone order" that brings the company’s ambitious growth plans to life.
"We’re particularly proud to introduce double-decker trains to the UK for the first time," Cazenave said in a statement.
Alstom confirmed an initial €1.4 billion order for 30 Avelia Horizon trains, with an option for 20 more. Deliveries are expected to be completed by the mid-2030s.
Cazenave told French news agency AFP that Alstom was chosen partly because of its ability to deliver quickly, due to an existing partnership with Eurostar’s majority shareholder, French rail operator SNCF.
The new trains – to be named Eurostar Celestia – will offer a 20 percent increase in seat capacity compared to the current fleet.
Alstom CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge said the Avelia Horizon "embodies our vision of sustainable and competitive European mobility" and is built to handle the demands of high-speed international travel.
More seats, new routes
It is expected that each 200-metre train will have around 540 seats, while two can be joined to double the capacity, as happens with the current Eurostar fleet.
The new fleet is scheduled to enter service in 2031, gradually replacing most of Eurostar’s existing trains.
The rollout will also support the company’s planned expansion to new routes, including direct services from London to Geneva and Frankfurt.
These new destinations will add to Eurostar’s existing network connecting London with Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, and other European cities. On the flagship London-Paris route alone, Eurostar hopes to grow annual passenger numbers from 8 to 10 million by 2030.
The Channel Tunnel, from pipe dream to European reality
Meanwhile, Virgin Group founded by Richard Branson is planning to launch its own high-speed rail service through the Channel Tunnel by 2029.
Britain's rail regulator earlier this year ruled that Eurostar's London maintenance depot, Temple Mills, could be made available to other operators.
Eurostar said it plans to maintain its new fleet at the depot, which would be developed to accommodate the new trains at a cost of around 80 million euros while creating some 350 jobs.
(with AFP)
