A Eurostar Rival Service Could Be Launching Soon

Eurostar has held a monopoly on rail travel through the Channel Tunnel since the route opened in 1994. But Virgin Trains is moving closer to becoming the company’s first competitor, with track access granted for services connecting London to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam from 2030. 

Virgin Trains Gets Green Light For Channel Tunnel Rail

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has said this will allow Virgin to run 20 daily return services through the tunnel, describing it as a ‘significant step forward’ – with the newly approved agreement running from 1 October 2030 to 31 December 2040. This follows Virgin being granted access to Eurostar’s Temple Mills depot – where trains are maintained and stored – in east London last October. Temple Mills is currently the only depot that can be accessed from High Speed 1 (HS1) which links London St Pancras to the Channel Tunnel. However, for Virgin’s plans to go ahead safety approval is still needed from UK and EU authorities. 

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.’

Sir Richard Branson, who owns Virgin, previously said it was ‘time to end this 30-year monopoly and bring some Virgin magic to the cross-Channel route’.

It’s thought Virgin will try to tempt travellers with bookings connected to its Group-wide rewards programme, Virgin Red, as well as focusing on creating a premium onboard experience for passengers. The company also hopes to extend its network beyond London, adding services running from Birmingham and Manchester. 

Eurostar has said it will welcome new competitors, with a statement reading: ‘This confirms the huge potential for growth in international rail and the ambition across the industry to bring more passengers to Europe by train. Eurostar will play a full part in that growth, and our focus remains on delivering our own ambitious plans, investing in our fleet and carrying 30 million passengers a year.’

Why The Sudden Competition?

Since Eurostar launched its first service through the Channel Tunnel in November 1994, the company has faced no competition. However, over the past few years rail travel has soared (in part due to environmental concerns) – with Eurostar recording its best year in 2024, carrying a total of 19.5 million passengers. Cross-travel routes proved particularly popular, with London-Paris up 280,000 and London-Brussels up 250,000. 

Meanwhile, in January this year the ORR reduced HS1 charges for using the Channel Tunnel, prompting rival competitors to set their sights on launching new routes. 

Are There Other Eurostar Rival Services?

Although there’s lots of talk about Virgin right now, another rail operator is actually the current frontrunner in the race to launch a Eurostar competitor. Italy’s state-owned railway, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS Group), has plans to launch its own route between London and Paris by 2029. The European train company has ordered 19 new high-speed trains via its subsidiary Trenitalia France.

Evolyn, a Spanish high-speed rail startup, also hopes to operate trains between London and Paris. Meanwhile, Gemini Trains has proposed plans to run ten daily return journeys between Stratford, and eight daily return services between Stratford International and Brussels from 2029. 

Could This Mean Cheaper Fares?

Rival services could be good news for passengers, allowing cheaper alternatives to Eurostar’s notoriously high prices. Virgin has previously revealed fares will be competitive, with Branson saying: ‘If you have competition, then fares will inevitably come down. If we’ve got seats that need selling, we will reduce the cost of them.’