Key facts
- Virgin Trains has been granted track access by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to operate services to Europe.
- The new services are planned to run between London and Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam starting in 2030.
- The approval allows for up to 20 daily return services through the Channel tunnel.
- Virgin Trains previously secured access to Eurostar's Temple Mills depot for train maintenance.
- Eurostar has been the sole operator of passenger services through the Channel tunnel since 1994.
Virgin Trains has taken a significant step towards breaking Eurostar's long-standing monopoly on cross-Channel passenger rail services. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has granted the company track access approval to operate new services between London and Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam, commencing in 2030. This approval allows for up to 20 daily return services through the Channel tunnel, with the access agreement valid until December 2040.
This decision follows Virgin Trains' earlier acquisition of access to Eurostar's Temple Mills depot in east London for train maintenance and storage, the only facility connected to High Speed 1, the crucial line linking London to the tunnel. Eurostar, which has controlled the passenger route since its inception in 1994, has faced criticism for high prices and has reduced its network in recent years.
Sir Richard Branson has expressed his intention to "bring some Virgin magic" to the route, aiming to end the 30-year monopoly. Virgin plans to utilize the same stations in Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam as Eurostar. The move comes amid growing demand for international rail travel from the UK, with Eurostar itself expanding its capacity and other initiatives, like a UK-German taskforce exploring direct London-Berlin services, also underway.
While the ORR's decision is deemed an "important next step," Martin Jones, the ORR's Deputy Director of Access and International, noted that "there is still more work to do." Virgin Trains must still secure access to other rail networks and obtain necessary safety approvals from both the ORR and relevant EU regulators before services can launch. Virgin has indicated plans to invest £700 million in this cross-Channel project, which is expected to create approximately 400 jobs in the UK.