Eurostar’s competitor reveals New London to Baris Routes ready by 2029

For three decades Eurostar She kept the monopoly of passenger train services through the channel’s tunnel since its opening in 1994.

Now the state -owned national railway company in Italy has announced plans to change all of this.

FS ITALIANE GROUP will launch a new high -speed railway service linking Paris and London by 2029 – which is also Consider more extensions on the road to Lille, Lyon, Marseille and Milan, as well.

The group’s plans are part of a wider goal to create a more integrated and connected European railway network, which the company has invested one billion euros.

The FS Italiane Group operates in France Since 2021 it has a strong presence in the UK through C2C and Avanti West Coast, serving more than three million passengers and enhancing its basis for this new international service.

With permits already present in France and the constant work with the main stakeholders to meet the regulatory requirements, the group also plans an additional capacity at the London St. Pancras station and exploring financing options to support the project.

Commenting on the news, Stefano Antonio Donnarumma, Executive Director of the Group of the FS Group and General Manager: “This investment is a decisive step forward in the FS group’s vision to build a more integrated, competing and sustainable European network, in line with Development Development goals in 2025-2029, which focuses on increasing transportation in the field of transportation In the field of transport.

“High speed rail networks are the backbone of effective and environmentally friendly mobility, expanding our presence in the main corridors, we are not only Investing in infrastructure and innovation, but also in the future of European transport.

“More competition will help create a more efficient and directed industry towards customers, which provides a real alternative to air travel.”

The FS Italiane Group is now one of the six companies that offer an offer to compete with Eurostar, amid hope that the UK will finally be able to obtain direct services GermanySwitzerland and Italy.

Last month, Gemini trains revealed proposals to operate the trains related to London With Paris and Brussels.

The company, headed by it exhaustion Poilizers Lord Berkeley, who was also included in EBBSFLEET in Kent as one of its potential stations – after Eurostar stopped calling there in March 2020.

Gemini, who said he hoped to provide “the economy and work seats at a competitive price for Eurostar”, added that “excitement destinations are developed.”

Spanish startup Evolin and billionaire businessman Sidi Richard BransonVirgin Group also develops proposals to launch services to compete with Eurostar.

Swiss national railway (SBB) is working on a new five -hour service between ST Pancras and Basel, while Dutch Heuro Start-UP also hopes to launch a competitive service.

Gemini said it has been developing plans to launch international services over the past two years, and was “widely involved with stakeholders in the industry.”

He added that she had applied to organize the railway office and the road to reach the Eurostar Temple Maintenance warehouse in Lateon, east of London.

In response to the news, independent railway policy analyst, based in France, John Worth, wrote in I am a paper : ‘Attracting more long -distance trains through the channel’s tunnel is clear.

To date, 30 years after the opening of the tunnel, high -speed traffic is less far from expectations from the nineties.

And the coffee item that was placed in Eurostar money It led to a decrease in services and raised ticket prices with the monopoly operator.

“Therefore, it is not surprising that entrepreneurs look at traffic for long distances through the channel’s tunnel, especially the relationship between the two largest cities in Western Europe, Paris and London, and see opportunities. There must be money that must challenge the only job occupant that may become somewhat satisfied over the years.

But he pointed out that there are “huge” obstacles, including buying a fleet of trains; The cost and complexity of building passport monitoring facilities for services in Europe; An ongoing battle on whether Eurostar’s competitor will be able to reach DePot Temple Mills Depot.

Thomas Wintel, Editor Railtech.comHe added that Gemini may have a “edge on its competitors.”

He wrote: ‘Berkeley colleagues-he has a long-time counterpart from employment and very affects the UK railway policy, after he served in multiple parliamentary transport committees-has strong links with Whitatol Westminster, and may be able to open organizational obstacles in a way that Jimlini can strike with them.

“This is despite the launch of Virgin and Evolyn their requests to the new company.

In fact, the Gemini team is impressive in terms of its background with railways; It includes former Caf France and Eurailco; A former partner of economic consultations directly The UK Ministry of Transport, European Railways and ORR guns have advised to reach railways, competition policy and organizational strategy; The former financial director of the northeastern Great Railways; Previous Eurostar Distribution; And an executive head coincides with being a former BBC journalist‘

Eurostar has operated passenger services through the channel’s tunnel since it officially opened on May 6, 1994 by Queen Elizabeth II and France President Francois Mitterrand at the time.

The operator initially operated the services to and from London Waterloo before swalcras shifted when this was widely renewed in 2007.

Eurostar now It extends from ST Pancras to Lille without stopping, then to Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam via Rotterdam.

It also has the Eurostar services from Brussels to Dortmund via Cologne and Dusseldorf; And winter “Snow Train” from Lil to Burg Sent Morris.

But that Direct services were dropped between London and Disneyland Paris in June 2023, and trains no longer run between London and southern France.

Eurostar also stopped contacting EBBSFLEET International and Ashford International in March 2020 when the epidemic began – and despite Kent local pressure to obtain services to appeal, the company said it focuses on its basic methods.

Stripford International in East London on the road after its opening in 2009, but it was not used by Eurostar and only provides southeastern trains on the high -speed road to Kent.

But the owner of the French tunnel, Getlink, and London St Pancras Hightspeed, who owns the station in the capital and high -speed paths to the tunnel, last month signed a memorandum of understanding to adhere to expanding the railway connection.

London St. Pancras Hai said that she wanted to encourage “new and current train operators” to open new roads and increase the ability of the London station.

She has set her ambition to increase the ability to travel through the channel at ST Pancras from 1,800 passengers per hour to approximately 5,000 passengers per hour.