Eurostar will take Team GB to the Paris 2024 Olympics next summer – at what its chief executive expects to be the rail firm’s busiest-ever spell.
The cross-Channel rail firm links London St Pancras International with Paris Gare du Nord in two hours 15 minutes.
Speaking exclusively to The Independent, Gwendoline Cazenave, CEO of Eurostar Group, said: “It’s a challenge, because it’s going to be an amazing amount of travellers and teams, fans, families and customers from all over the world – even more than a normal summer.”
She promised “more staff in stations to welcome the teams, more staff on board for them to be able to have a good travel experience on board”.
For the current summer, trains from London to Paris are extremely busy – with few seats available over the past weekend, and fares rising accordingly. The logistical challenges presented by Brexit, and the demand by the UK to be treated as a “third country” has put pressure on Eurostar facilities.
The 2024 Olympics start on Friday 26 July and continue until Sunday 11 August.
The partnership was officially announced by Andy Anson, chief executive of the British Olympic Association (BOA). He said “Our fantastic athletes will be able to take full advantage of the daily direct trains between London and Paris, the home of next year’s Olympic Games.
“Performance is always at the heart of our planning and this partnership means we can provide our Olympians with the comfort, flexibility and excellent service that Eurostar Group always offers.”
In all recent Olympics except London 2012, members of Team GB – as well as BOA officials – have travelled by air. Dozens of flights each day operate from UK airports to Paris, but Eurostar has been chosen instead – partly because of its environmental credentials.
Ms Cazenave said: “The Paris Games aim to be the greenest ever, we are therefore delighted to support British Olympians by offering them the most sustainable journey possible between London and Paris.
“We are the greenest one, the faster one. We will take the teams to downtown Paris, ready for the games.”
Eurostar will also work with ParalympicsGB for the Paris events from 28 August to 8 September 2024. The Eurostar Group chief executive said: “We really want to push for accessible travel.”
She said that Eurostar faces accessibility challenges at its main stations: London St Pancras, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.
“We want to push for stations to be accessible, we want to organise the service on board our trains to be accessible.”
Eurostar has some previous Olympic experience. For London 2012, the rail firm was the official transport provider for French and Belgian athletes.
In 2024, Eurostar Group will also bring Olympians from the Netherlands and Belgium to Paris.
