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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Lauren Almeida

Virgin Trains a step closer to running services to Europe in blow to Eurostar

A computer-generated photo of a Virgin Trains high-speed train at a platform inside St Pancras station's glass-roofed hall
Is this the future? A computer-generated photo of what could be a Virgin Trains service at St Pancras International station, though not until at least 2030. Photograph: Virgin Trains/PA

Virgin Trains has been granted track access by the rail regulator to enable it to run services between London and Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam from 2030, in a key step towards breaking Eurostar’s monopoly on the cross-Channel passenger route.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said it had given approval for Richard Branson’s company to run as many as 20 daily return services using the High Speed 1 line that runs between London St Pancras and the Channel tunnel.

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