On the strength of the purchase of 50 trainsets due for delivery in 2030, Eurostar has unveiled the three new services that could be offered between now and then: London-Frankfurt, London-Geneva and Amsterdam-Brussels-Geneva. The number of Eurostar cross-Channel rail frequencies will also be increased, with the aim of boosting traffic between Paris and London by 2 million passengers a year. " Customers want to travel further by train in Europe and enjoy the unique experience we offer "explains Gwendoline Cazenave, Eurostar's Managing Director.
A target of 67 trains after 2030
Eurostar is to invest €2 billion in the acquisition of this a new, more capable fleet which will be added to the 17 Siemens e320 trainsets with 894 seats currently running between these two capitals. The older, lower-capacity trainsets, with the 8 e300s (750 seats) and above all the 26 continental TGVs with only 371 to 399 seats, will thus be withdrawn from the fleet. More technologically advanced, the new high-speed trains will also have the great advantage of being able to run on the entire Eurostar network, both cross-Channel and continental.
Growth in 2024
In the meantime, Eurostar has presented positive results for 2024 thanks to an increase in passenger numbers, linked in particular to the Paris Olympic Games. The rail company carried 19.5 million passengers, an increase of 5% compared with 2023. The most dynamic routes were Paris-London, with a gain of 280,000 passengers, followed by London-Brussels (+250,000), Paris-Brussels (+160,000) and Paris-Rotterdam-Amsterdam (+140,000). Sales totalled 2 billion euros, up by a more modest 2%. Despite an environment considered difficult due to inflation and rising costs, the SNCF subsidiary generated EBITDA of €346m and reduced its debt to €650m.
Five services between London and Amsterdam by 2025
The outlook for 2025 is promising, with traffic continuing to grow. As a result, and with the opening of its new terminal at Amsterdam Centraal stationEurostar will be operating a 4th daily London-Rotterdam-Amsterdam service from 9 September, followed by a 5th from mid-December. Before the arrival of new competitors on its flagship routes, Eurostar marks its territory with these increased frequencies and its possible new European services, its long-term objective remaining to reach 30 million passengers a year thanks to its future trains.
