Virgin unveils its future cross-Channel train as it gears up to take on Eurostar

A mock-up of the new Virgin trains. The operator has secured track access in the UK until at least 2040. Photograph: Virgin

Flash interiors, fancy food and maybe even a bar: Virgin has unveiled a mock-up of its future cross-Channel train, with a pledge to create “something genuinely new”.

The group is planning to launch rail services from London to the continent in 2030, with Eurostar facing competition for the first time since the opening of the Channel tunnel.