Virgin Trains to rival Eurostar! New Channel Tunnel routes approved for 2030 🚄
Virgin Trains to rival Eurostar! New Channel Tunnel routes approved for 2030 🚄
Big news for European travel! Virgin Trains gets green light for up to 20 daily Channel Tunnel services from 2030, ending Eurostar's monopoly. Get ready for more choice & "Virgin magic" on routes to Paris, Brussels & Ams
Virgin Trains has been granted crucial track access by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), paving the way for its ambitious plan to launch new services through the Channel Tunnel from October 2030. This development signals a significant challenge to Eurostar's three-decade-long monopoly on international passenger rail services connecting the UK with mainland Europe.
The approval allows Sir Richard Branson’s company to operate up to 20 new daily return services between London and key European cities including Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam. These routes will mirror those currently served by Eurostar, offering passengers more choice and competition on popular cross-Channel journeys. The agreement for track access is set to run until December 31, 2040.
This regulatory milestone follows Virgin Trains securing access last October to Eurostar’s Temple Mills depot in east London. The depot is vital as it's the only one accessible from High Speed 1, the dedicated line linking London to the Channel Tunnel, and is essential for the maintenance and storage of trains.
Sir Richard Branson has previously expressed his desire to "end this 30-year monopoly and bring some Virgin magic to the cross-Channel route." While this is a major step forward, the ORR's deputy director of access and international, Martin Jones, noted that there is "still more work to do." Virgin Trains must secure access to other European rail networks and obtain further safety approvals from both the ORR and relevant EU regulators before services can officially commence in 2030.
