Virgin Trains gets go ahead to run services to Europe in new blow to Eurostar monopoly
Virgin Trains has been granted track access by the rail regulator to run new services between London and Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam from 2030, moving forward its plans to break’s Eurostar’s passenger monopoly on the cross-Channel route.
Intelligence analysis by Llama
Virgin Trains has been granted track access to run new services between London and Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam from 2030, moving forward its plans to break’s Eurostar’s passenger monopoly on the cross-Channel route.
Imagine you're on a train from London to Paris. Right now, there's only one company that can take you there, called Eurostar. But soon, another company called Virgin Trains will be able to take you there too! This is because Virgin Trains has been given permission to run its own trains on the same route. This means that people will have more choices and might be able to get a better deal on their tickets.
Analysis
Virgin Trains’ Plans for Cross-Channel Services
Virgin Trains has been granted track access by the rail regulator to run new services between London and Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam from 2030. This move is a significant blow to Eurostar’s passenger monopoly on the cross-Channel route, which has been in place since 1994. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has granted approval for Sir Richard Branson’s company to run up to 20 new daily return services through the Channel tunnel.
The agreement covers the period between 1 October 2030 to 31 December 2040 and means Virgin Trains has passed another important regulatory hurdle towards starting the international services. The company has previously been granted access to share Eurostar’s Temple Mills depot in east London to maintain and store trains. Temple Mills is the only depot that can be accessed from High Speed 1, the line that runs between London and the tunnel.
Eurostar, which was formerly part-owned by the UK taxpayer but is now controlled by the French rail operator SNCF, has held a monopoly on passenger services through the tunnel since it opened in 1994. Eurotunnel, operator of LeShuttle, takes vehicles on the cross-Channel route. Eurostar has previously faced criticism over its high prices and has shrunk its network over the past decade, ditching international services from Ashford and Ebbsfleet in Kent.
Branson has previously said it was “time to end this 30-year monopoly and bring some Virgin magic to the cross-Channel route”. Virgin plans to run services between St Pancras and the same stations in Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam used by Eurostar. It comes as demand for international rail travel from the UK grows, with Eurostar announcing last year it would start running doubledecker trains through the tunnel, while a joint UK-German taskforce considers plans for direct trains from London to Berlin.
The ORR said its latest decision to grant track access was “an important next step”, but that there was “still more work to do” before the new services can run. Virgin Trains must secure access to other rail networks and obtain safety approvals from the ORR and relevant regulators in the EU ahead of the plans to begin running services in 2030. Virgin, which previously ran intercity trains in Britain including between London and Glasgow, has said it plans to invest £700m in its cross-Channel project and create about 400 jobs in the UK.
A Virgin Group spokesperson said: “Our plans for a new London – Europe rail service from 2030 are moving at pace. We welcome the ORR’s pre-approval of our track access agreement and the opportunity to bring competition and Virgin’s award-winning customer experience to the Channel tunnel.”
Key points
- Virgin Trains has been granted track access by the rail regulator to run new services between London and Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam from 2030.
- The agreement covers the period between 1 October 2030 to 31 December 2040 and means Virgin Trains has passed another important regulatory hurdle towards starting the international services.
- Virgin Trains plans to run services between St Pancras and the same stations in Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam used by Eurostar.
- The company has said it plans to invest £700m in its cross-Channel project and create about 400 jobs in the UK.
If Virgin Trains is successful in breaking Eurostar’s monopoly, it could lead to lower prices and improved customer experience for passengers. Additionally, the increased competition could lead to more frequent and convenient services, making it easier for people to travel between London and Europe.
However, there are also risks associated with Virgin Trains’ plans. For example, the company will need to secure access to other rail networks and obtain safety approvals from the ORR and relevant regulators in the EU ahead of the plans to begin running services in 2030. If Virgin Trains is unable to meet these requirements, it could delay or even prevent the launch of its new services.
