Eurostar and potential competitors

Eurostar is an open access operator which runs train services from London St Pancras International to destinations in Europe. There has been a concerted push by MPs and local stakeholders for it to resume serving Ebbsfleet and Ashford International stations in Kent. In addition, a number of potential competitors have announced proposals to operate international services linking London and mainland Europe via the Channel Tunnel.

International services at Ebbsfleet and Ashford International stations

For a number of years, Eurostar stopped at Kent’s Ebbsfleet and Ashford International stations, but these services were stopped in 2020. Since then, there has been uncertainty as to if, and when, services to either station will be reinstated. Local stakeholders are pushing for services to resume, citing potential significant economic benefits to the area.

Potential competitors to Eurostar

Eurostar services began operating in 1994. Since then, it has been the only international passenger train operator to use the Channel Tunnel. Recently, a number of potential competitors have announced their intention to operate international services between London and Europe via the Channel Tunnel. Four have applied to the Office of Rail and Road for access to Temple Mills depot, the only one which can accommodate channel tunnel trains, including:

• Virgin Trains, which proposes to operate 20 daily return services between London St Pancras and Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam by 2030
• Trenitalia France, which proposes to operate ten daily return services between London and Paris from 2029
• Evolyn, which proposes to operate trains between London and Paris
• Gemini Trains, which proposes to operate ten daily return journeys between Stratford International railway station and Paris, and eight daily return services between Stratford International and Brussels from 2029.

Challenges for competitors to overcome

Limited capacity at Temple Mills depot has been identified as a potential barrier for train operators wishing to compete with Eurostar, and also potentially for Eurostar’s own expansion plans. The Office of Rail and Road commissioned an independent study, which found that the depot would be able to accommodate additional trains. However, this would be insufficient to accommodate all of the potential operators in addition to Eurostar’s plans to expand its fleet. A final decision on the use of depot capacity is expected by the end of October 2025 [PDF, p6].

Other challenges for new international train operators include purchasing or leasing rolling stock (trains) that meet the requirements for use in the Channel Tunnel, and, if they are proposing to operate international services from Stratford International, Ebbsfleet International or Ashford International, funding infrastructure for border controls.

Impact of international train services on south east England

International train services have been estimated to contribute over £400 million to annual trade between south east England and Europe, and to support more than £2 billion of tourist expenditure per year [PDF, p4].

Regulation of international train services

The Office of Rail and Road is the economic and safety regulator for railways in Great Britain, including High Speed 1 (HS1) the railway between London St Pancras International and the Channel Tunnel. London St Pancras Highspeed, a private limited company, has a 30-year concession to operate and manage HS1.

An open access operator must have a track access agreement with the relevant railway infrastructure manager which has been approved by the Office of Rail and Road. Appeals can also be made to the Office of Rail and Road where agreements on track access cannot be reached between the relevant parties.

All train operators in Great Britain (including open-access operators) require a valid train operating licence, or an exemption. Most mainline train operators are also required to maintain a safety management system and hold a safety certificate or safety authorisation indicating that this has been accepted by the Office of Rail and Road.

International services are also subject to similar safety regulation in the countries outside Great Britain in which they operate.