Eurostar has unveiled plans to launch direct services connecting the UK with Germany and Switzerland.
A “new golden age of international sustainable travel is here” claimed the operator as it announced proposals to run trains between London St Pancras and both Frankfurt and Geneva from the “early 2030s”.
A fleet of up to 50 new trains would serve these routes, costing approximately two billion euros (£1.7 billion).
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The services would enable passengers to travel between London and Frankfurt in about five hours, or five hours and 20 minutes between London and Geneva.
It has not yet been decided what stops the services would make.
Eurostar chief executive Gwendoline Cazenave told the PA news agency many passengers are prepared to take longer train journeys rather than flying as they “want to travel more sustainably”.
Before services can launch a number of hurdles must be overcome, including creating sufficient passenger space at the stations, installing new border checkpoints, and securing access to tracks.
Ms Cazenave said that although it will require “time, investments, expertise, a huge amount of energy, and partnerships”, she has “no doubt” the new direct services will happen because of the “willingness” of Eurostar, passengers and governments.
The UK and Switzerland signed a memorandum of understanding last month aimed at establishing direct train services between the countries.
Eurostar will operate the new trains alongside its 17 existing e320s, bringing its total fleet to 67 trains, a 30% increase on today.
Its new fleet will also enable it to boost existing routes, such as increasing its daily return frequencies between London and Paris from 17 to 20.
Meanwhile, the company confirmed it will add a fourth daily return service between St Pancras and Amsterdam from September 9, and a fifth from mid-December.
Eurostar carried 19.5 million passengers last year, up 5% from 18.6 million in 2023.
London-Paris was its strongest performing route in 2024, with 280,000 passengers.
Ms Cazenave said: “We’re seeing strong demand for train travel across Europe, with customers wanting to go further by rail than ever before and enjoy the unique experience we provide.
“Despite the challenging economic climate, Eurostar is growing and has bold ambitions for the future.
“Our new fleet will make new destinations for customers a reality – notably direct trains between London and Germany, and between London and Switzerland for the first time.
“A new golden age of international sustainable travel is here.”
A number of companies are developing plans to end Eurostar’s monopoly on operating passenger trains through the Channel Tunnel.
They include billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, Italy’s state-owned railway company FS Italiane Group, and Gemini Trains, which is chaired by Labour peer Lord Berkeley.
