Eurostar is set to introduce a new direct route from London St Pancras to three key European cities, offering travelers a quicker and more convenient way to reach central Europe.
The announcement came via a press release from Eurostar, revealing that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) had been signed among Eurostar, SBB (Swiss Federal Railways), and French operator SNCF Voyageurs to potentially establish a direct connection between London and Switzerland.
This development marks a significant step forward in the planning of the new route. The proposed service would include direct trains from London to Zurich with a travel time of six hours, direct routes to Basel taking five hours, and journeys to Geneva lasting approximately five-and-a-half hours.
Currently, passengers can already book Eurostar trains from London to Switzerland, but the existing route requires a transfer at Paris Gare du Nord, followed by a connection at Paris Gare De Lyon to catch a TGV train. This indirect route not only lacks convenience, as it involves moving luggage on the metro, but also adds an hour or more to the journey between London and Switzerland.
According to Eurostar’s press release, the recent MoU signing is a crucial milestone. The next phase involves analyzing potential timetables and operational strategies to pave the way for a direct connection from London to Switzerland. The partners aim to launch this direct service as soon as possible, with a projected implementation timeline starting in the 2030s.
While Eurostar currently operates direct trains from London St Pancras to destinations like Paris, Brussels, Lille, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam, the company is exploring the possibility of extending its routes to include cities such as Marseille in France and Milan in Italy.
Additionally, Eurostar has placed an order for up to 50 Celestia double-decker trains, set to debut on its routes from May 2031. This investment aims to enhance capacity on popular routes. Eurostar’s ambitious plans for St Pancras International, including the potential to accommodate 5,000 passengers per hour by 2028, were unveiled last year.
Looking ahead to 2030, plans are in place to relocate arrivals to an upper level to boost capacity. Richard Thorp, the chief operating officer at London St. Pancras Highspeed, expressed enthusiasm about partnering with Eurostar to expand capacity at the station, emphasizing the importance of preparing for growing demand in international train travel.
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