Railway company Eurostar plans to introduce new routes from the United Kingdom to Germany and Switzerland in the coming years, heralding a "new golden age of sustainable international travel."
Services from London to Frankfurt and Geneva are expected by 2030. These new routes will be serviced by a fleet of 50 new trains, with journeys expected to last around five hours to Frankfurt and five hours and 20 minutes to Geneva.
Decisions are yet to be made regarding which other cities, such as Belgian towns, will be served en route, and whether passengers will be permitted to embark and disembark mid-journey.
Eurostar already operates services from London to Brussels, Paris, Amsterdam and the French Alps during ski season and also runs services from Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands.
Train over plane
Eurostar's CEO, Gwendoline Cazenave, told PA news agency that many passengers are now willing to opt for longer train journeys as an alternative to flying, driven by a desire to "travel more sustainably."
She noted a strong demand for train travel across Europe, with customers eager to explore further by rail than ever before and enjoy the unique experience Eurostar offers.
Cazenave expects robust demand from tourists and business travellers for direct services to Frankfurt and Geneva, which are "major financial centres."
However, several challenges need addressing before these services can be launched, including creating sufficient passenger space at stations, implementing new border controls and ensuring access to rail tracks.
