Published on October 22, 2025
Eurostar has unveiled plans to present double-decker trains done nan Channel Tunnel starting successful 2031, marking a important leap guardant successful nan UK’s world obstruction recreation capacity. This move is designed to accommodate nan surging request for high-speed world obstruction recreation from nan UK, peculiarly arsenic tourism and business recreation betwixt nan UK and Europe continues to rebound.
The Eurostar Celestia trains, developed successful collaboration pinch nan French shaper Alstom, will characteristic a 20% summation successful seating capacity compared to nan existing largest trains successful nan fleet. These caller double-deckers will not only connection accrued seating but will besides cater to a much divers group of needs, specified arsenic further legroom, abstraction for wheelchairs, and provisions for bicycles, on pinch typical surprises that Eurostar promises to uncover person to nan motorboat date.
Investment and Job Creation
The deal, worthy €2 cardinal (£1.7 billion), will spot nan acquisition of 30 to 50 caller trains, further expanding Eurostar’s fleet to meet nan increasing request for travel. The finance will besides boost nan obstruction operator’s infrastructure successful nan UK, pinch nan Temple Mills depot successful north-east London being earmarked for redevelopment pinch an further €80 cardinal of investment. This description is expected to create 350 caller jobs, enhancing some section employment and work capabilities.
Expanding International Rail Connectivity
The double-decker trains will beryllium integrated into Eurostar’s existing network, which presently connects London pinch awesome European cities, including Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam. The preamble of nan Celestia trains will support Eurostar’s description plans, including new destinations specified arsenic Frankfurt and Geneva, further enhancing world obstruction recreation options. The move comes arsenic Eurostar looks to modernize its fleet and accommodate much passengers, frankincense contributing to an wide 30% summation successful nan fleet’s capacity erstwhile each caller trains are delivered.
This eager maturation scheme is seen arsenic basal arsenic Eurostar prepares to shape retired its older trains, pinch nan objection of 17 caller e320s, which will stay successful service. As portion of nan planned upgrades, nan caller double-decker trains will play a important domiciled successful nan modulation to a modernized, much sustainable fleet. The purpose is to supply a much comfortable, businesslike recreation acquisition while maintaining Eurostar’s estimation arsenic a starring usability successful nan European high-speed obstruction sector.
Competition and nan Depot Debate
Eurostar’s announcement comes amid ongoing discussions astir nan Temple Mills depot and whether location should beryllium abstraction for different world obstruction operators. Virgin, FS Italiane (Trenitalia), and Gemini person each expressed liking successful acquiring abstraction astatine nan depot, which is presently utilized by Eurostar for its fleet maintenance. Eurostar has based on that nan depot’s abstraction is required to support its ain expansion plans, frankincense challenging nan viability of opening it up to competitors.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR), nan UK’s regulator, is preparing to make a determination connected this matter, pinch an announcement expected by nan extremity of October 2025. The statement complete nan depot abstraction could person important implications for Eurostar’s early growth and nan title scenery successful UK and cross-Channel high-speed obstruction services.
In consequence to nan imaginable competition, Eurostar’s CEO Gwendoline Cazenave emphasized nan value of sustainable recreation betwixt nan UK and Europe, urging nan UK to make nan basal investments successful obstruction infrastructure. This includes expanding St Pancras International, London’s passenger terminal for Eurostar services, to accommodate nan caller trains and supply a much sustainable solution for nan increasing request for obstruction recreation betwixt nan UK and Europe.
A Future of Sustainable Rail Travel
The preamble of double-decker trains is not conscionable a measurement guardant for Eurostar successful position of capacity and work offerings but besides a important leap toward sustainability. The new-generation Celestia trains person been designed pinch sustainable travel successful mind, offering a competitory replacement to aerial travel. As request for eco-friendly transportation increases, peculiarly among environmentally conscious travelers, nan Celestia trains purpose to support nan modulation to greener recreation options.
The European obstruction operator’s attraction connected improving sustainability aligns pinch nan broader world push for cleaner modes of transport, which includes nan simplification of carbon emissions. The finance successful high-speed obstruction services is expected to further lend to reducing nan biology effect of travel, particularly erstwhile compared to aviation, which is known for its important c footprint.
The Role of Eurostar successful Shaping European Mobility
The motorboat of double-decker trains reflects Eurostar’s semipermanent vision for nan early of European mobility. By expanding its capacity and offering much comfortable, businesslike travel, Eurostar intends to stay a pivotal subordinate successful nan European high-speed obstruction network. This determination is apt to animate further investments and innovations successful nan obstruction sector, encouraging different operators to see akin advancements to meet increasing demand.
In nan discourse of post-pandemic travel, Eurostar’s description strategy signals a renewed assurance successful world obstruction travel. With nan simplification successful aerial recreation owed to sustainability concerns, obstruction services for illustration Eurostar are poised to go a preferred prime for galore European travelers, particularly those seeking direct, comfortable, and eco-friendly connections.
Conclusion
Eurostar’s caller double-decker trains group to tally done nan Channel Tunnel are a important measurement successful expanding nan UK’s world obstruction capacity. With a €2 cardinal finance and a committedness to sustainability, these caller trains will not only supply much comfortableness for passengers but besides lend to reducing nan c footprint of European travel. However, nan ongoing statement astir depot abstraction and title highlights nan challenges that travel pinch specified growth. As Eurostar continues to grow its network, it remains to beryllium seen really nan regulatory decisions will effect its early operations and really it will compete pinch different high-speed obstruction operators successful nan UK and crossed Europe.