Virgin Trains could run the UK’s first direct service to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport after getting the green light to share Eurostar’s east London depot.
It paves the way for Sir Richard Branson’s company to launch international services through the Channel tunnel.
The operator plans to run trains from St Pancras International to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam from 2030 and is in discussions with France’s busiest airport about the possibility of new services there.
On Thursday, the Office of Rail and Road gave Virgin Trains access to share Eurostar’s Temple Mills depot in east London to maintain and store trains.
Sir Richard called it “the big hurdle that we had to get through”, although Virgin Trains still needs additional approvals on issues including track access and safety before it can begin international services.
The regulator rejected rival applications from Evolyn, Gemini Trains and Trenitalia to use the depot.
Eurostar was also unsuccessful in seeking permission to use the site’s spare capacity to grow.
Temple Mills is the only depot that can be accessed from High Speed 1, the line that runs between London and the Channel tunnel.
Sir Richard said the decision was “fantastic” for Virgin Atlantic, the airline he founded partnered with Air France which is headquartered at Charles de Gaulle.
Virgin Atlantic does not have enough slots at London’s Heathrow airport to operate short-haul flights in competition with British Airways (BA).
Sir Richard said: “BA won’t have trains going into Europe. This will help us in a competitive sense.”
Sir Richard, 75, also said he hoped Virgin Trains would resume services between St Pancras and Disneyland Paris on a limited basis.
He said: “I’d like to go. I was just (thinking) I’d like to bring my grandkids, but by the time we’re there, they’ll be bringing me, they’ll be teenagers.
“But anyway, we should definitely do a day or two in Disneyland, even if it’s not a regular service.”
Eurostar stopped serving Disneyland Paris in June 2023 to focus on its core routes.
Asked whether Virgin Trains would offer cheaper tickets than Eurostar, Sir Richard replied: “If you don’t have competition, you’re obviously going to have high fares all the time.
“People have no choice if they want to go by train, to pay whatever Eurostar charges.
“If you have competition, then fares will inevitably come down.
“If we’ve got seats that need selling, we will reduce the cost of them.”
We've approved Virgin Trains' application for access to Temple Mills depot. This means:
— ORR (@railandroad) October 30, 2025
- New cross-channel services planned for 2030
- Work ahead for Virgin on track access/safety approval
- Access to light maintenance facilities an important first stephttps://t.co/WHMF0IFqTi pic.twitter.com/jie4vgAKYs
Eurostar has held a monopoly on passenger services through the tunnel since it opened in 1994.
Sir Richard said: “It’s time to end this 30-year monopoly and bring some Virgin magic to the cross-Channel route.”
The tunnel is only used at about 50 per cent capacity, despite also accommodating LeShuttle vehicle-carrying trains between Folkestone in Kent and Calais in northern France.
Virgin Trains plans to run services between St Pancras and the same stations in Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam used by Eurostar, and it has “ambitions” to expand “further across France, and into Germany and Switzerland”.
The company added: “If either Ebbsfleet International or Ashford International station are reopened in Kent, then Virgin will stop there, and it is working with Kent County Council and other local stakeholders to explore how to make this happen.”
Eurostar stopped serving the stations in March 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Virgin Trains has an agreement with manufacturer Alstom to purchase 12 Avelia Stream trains.
It said on Thursday they will be funded by infrastructure investor Equitix.
Virgin Group will lead the funding of the operating company, alongside Equitix and private equity firm Azzurra Capital.
The ORR said: “Virgin Trains’ plans were more financially and operationally robust than those of other applicants, and it provided clear evidence of investor backing and an agreement in principle to deliver the necessary and appropriate rolling stock.”
Rail minister Lord Hendy said depot capacity “should not be a barrier to greater competition and growth”, and the Government is “exploring plans” to establish more facilities.
Eurostar said it is “considering our next steps to ensure we can continue to grow”.
Virgin Group has not been involved in operating trains in the UK since Virgin Trains’ contract for the West Coast Main Line (WCML) expired in December 2019.
In July, the ORR rejected the company’s application to run open access services on the WCML, serving cities such as London, Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester.
