Virgin Trains closer to launching European service

Virgin Trains is making headway with its plans to run 20 trains a day between London and Brussels, Paris and Amsterdam, bringing the railway company closer to its goal of launching European services by 2030.

The UK rail regulator (ORR) has granted Virgin Trains permission to use the high-speed line under the Channel. 

This agreement is intended to "foster greater competition" in international rail services and provide more options for passengers travelling between London and Europe.

The company had already been granted access in October last year to the Temple Mills train depot in London, which had previously been reserved for Eurostar. The depot is an indispensable link for train connections between the British capital and the European mainland.

The Eurostar competitor plans to launch the first services on the new route between London and Brussels, Paris and Amsterdam in 2030.

The first trains are due to depart in October that year. However, the company must first complete a number of other steps: for instance, it still needs to procure rolling stock, obtain safety authorisations from the European Union and gain access to the other rail networks involved.

Virgin Trains is not the only company looking to compete with Eurostar. Italy’s Trenitalia is also hatching similar plans. 

Eurotunnel, which operates the Channel Tunnel, is therefore keen to attract more operators. According to the company, the infrastructure can handle 1,000 trains a day - considerably more than the current 400.