Eurostar is considering introducing a new direct route from London’s St Pancras station to three European cities, offering a quicker and more convenient way to reach central Europe.
The plan was disclosed in a press release by Eurostar, confirming the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with SBB (Swiss Federal Railways) and French-operator SNCF Voyageurs to potentially establish a direct connection between London and Switzerland.
This initiative marks a significant step in the development of the new route. If realized, travelers can expect direct services from London to Zurich with a travel time of six hours, direct trains to Basel in five hours, and a route to Geneva taking approximately five-and-a-half hours.
Currently, passengers can already book London to Switzerland trains with Eurostar. However, the existing route requires a change at Paris Gare du Nord, followed by navigating across Paris to catch a connecting TGV train. This indirect route not only lacks convenience but also adds an hour or more to the journey between London and Switzerland.
Eurostar’s press release emphasized that the signed MoU is a crucial milestone, with the next steps involving the analysis of potential timetables and operational concepts. The ultimate goal is to introduce a direct connection from London to Switzerland as soon as possible, with a projected implementation timeframe in the early 2030s.
While Eurostar currently operates direct trains from London St. Pancras to five destinations, including Paris, Brussels, Lille, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam, the potential new routes signify an expansion of its network. The company has also ordered up to 50 Celestia double-decker trains to enhance capacity on popular routes starting from May 2031.
Moreover, Eurostar has revealed extensive expansion plans for St Pancras International, aiming to accommodate 5,000 passengers per hour by 2028. By 2030, enhancements are expected to further increase capacity, with Richard Thorp, chief operating officer at London St. Pancras Highspeed, expressing enthusiasm for the collaboration with Eurostar to meet the growing demand for international train travel.
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