Virgin Trains has taken another step in its bid to position itself as a competitor to high-speed rail operator Eurostar. The company, owned by British businessman Richard Branson, has secured access to the Channel Tunnel in the UK from the end of 2030.
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Virgin Trains moves closer to Eurostar challenge with Channel Tunnel access in UK
Belga
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Virgin received approval in October from the British rail regulator, the ORR, to use the Temple Mills depot. This is the only depot providing access to HS1, the high-speed train line between London and the Channel Tunnel, which connects the UK with mainland Europe.
Now the ORR has also given the green light for track access on HS1. From October 2030 to December 2040, Virgin will be permitted to operate up to 20 return journeys a day between London and the European mainland.
However, Virgin still has a long way to go before it can challenge Eurostar, part-owned by Belgian rail operator NMBS: it must secure track access and safety approvals from the authorities on the other side of the Channel, strike a deal with the Channel Tunnel operator Getlink, and buy suitable trains. It has a preliminary agreement with French train manufacturer Alstom for 12 high-speed trains.
Virgin aims to run services between St Pancras in London and Brussels, Paris and Amsterdam from 2030. It has previously indicated its ambition to expand in France and into Germany and Switzerland.
Eurostar has held a monopoly on operating passenger trains through the Tunnel since it opened in 1994. It is currently only used at around half its maximum capacity. Feight trains and LeShuttle, which carries cars, lorries and buses, also run between Calais and Folkestone.