- 150 million customers over 20 years
- Year-on-year growth drives expansion to new routes
- One year to go until the e320 goes into commercial service
LONDON, 2014-11-17 — /Travel PR News/ — In the last two decades Eurostar has revolutionised cross-channel travel, providing a swift, seamless link between the UK and mainland Europe. With passengers increasingly choosing high speed rail over plane for short haul travel and demand at an all-time high, the business is now set for further expansion of its services into Europe.
On the eve of its 20th anniversary Eurostar unveiled in public for the first time its new state-of-the-art e320 train scheduled to enter commercial service at the end of 2015. At the same time the company announced its decision to augment its fleet with a further 7 new e320 trains. With the original order of 10 e320s now in the final stage of completion, this increases the number of new trains to 17 in total.
Beyond its core routes of Paris, Brussels and Lille, Eurostar serves a range of destinations including the French Alps, Swiss Alps and Geneva. May 2015 will see the start of a new year-round direct service to Provence, stopping at Lyon, Avignon and Marseille, followed at the end of 2016 by the launch of a direct route to Amsterdam with stops in Antwerp, Rotterdam and Schiphol along
the way.
Nicolas Petrovic, Chief Executive of Eurostar, said:
“Having had ten consecutive years of growth, we are seeing a record demand for our services and the addition of new trains to our fleet will be key to our growth ambitions. With just one year to go until our new e320 train comes into service, our passengers will soon see a complete transformation of our service. The combination of bold design, chic interiors and wifi connectivity will raise the bar, providing an unprecedented level of style and comfort for our customers.”
Arrival of the e320 heralds the next generation of Eurostar services
The introduction of the e320 represents a major advance for international high speed rail. Built to a bespoke specification these trains are ‘inter-operable’ with the ability to operate across diverse European signalling systems, opening up the potential for a whole range of new direct services between the UK and European city centre destinations.
Carrying 900 passengers, the e320 boosts capacity per train by 20% and is capable of reaching a speed of 320 kph (200 mph). With the external livery and interiors designed by Pininfarina, the legendary Italian design house, world-renowned for its iconic car designs, the new Eurostar train boasts many innovative features aimed at maximising energy efficiency and delivering an enhanced experience for travellers.
Recognising the importance of connectivity for passengers, going forward, the Eurostar fleet will be equipped with free wifi throughout the train, allowing customers to email, chat and tweet during their journey. The new wifi portal will provide a range of information and entertainment including live news feeds and weather reports as well as a collection of destination guides.
With the introduction of the e320, customers will enjoy more space per seat with each seat equipped with power points and a USB socket. Business passengers will experience the ultimate in on-board comfort with a carefully designed environment aimed at maximising productivity whilst offering a relaxing space. For leisure customers the e320 will represent a considerable upgrade with a newly designed bar buffet, ergonomically designed reclining seats and increased luggage areas.
Nicolas Petrovic said:
“Over the last twenty years, we have led the way in cross-Channel high speed rail travel, cementing the link between the UK and mainland Europe. Our 20th birthday represents a key milestone for our business and marks the start of the next phase of growth and expansion. With this substantial investment in our fleet, our stations and the on-board experience, passengers can look forward to an exciting future.”
To mark its two decades of service, over the next two weeks, Eurostar will be staging a programme of celebratory activities on-board its trains and in its stations. This includes surprise golden tickets, giveaways and special events for customers as well as a dedicated birthday promotion running between 13 and 24 November offering returns in Standard for £59/€69 and in Standard Premier for £149/€179 – for travel between 5 January and 12 February next year.
Eurostar e320 unveil at St Pancras International
The new Eurostar e320 is being unveiled today, Thursday 13 November 2014, at St Pancras International station on platform 5 from 08.00.
Nicolas Petrovic, Chief Executive of Eurostar, will make a presentation to the media which will be followed by the unveiling of the new train and an on-board tour.
Media are asked to register in advance of the event by emailing press.office@eurostar.com or by calling the Eurostar press office on 020 7843 5500.
You can also discover our new fleet on www.eurostar.com
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
- In October 2010 Eurostar announced a £700 million investment in its fleet with £600 million funding the purchase of 10 new trains and £100 million invested in the refurbishment of its existing fleet. Today’s announcement of its plan to purchase a further 7 e320s increases the overall investment in the Eurostar fleet to over £1 billion.
- The new Eurostar train is called the e320 because it can reach a speed of 320 kph (200 mph).
- Eurostar is the high-speed train service linking St Pancras International, Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International, Paris, Brussels, Lille, Calais, Disneyland Resort Paris, Avignon, the French Alps, Swiss Alps and Geneva.
- Eurostar was established in 1994 as a partnership between three railway companies: SNCF, SNCB and LCR (London and Continental Railways). On 1 September 2010, Eurostar became a single, unified corporate entity owned by three shareholders: SNCF, SNCB and LCR.
- Eurostar is a founder member of Railteam, a partnership between Europe’s leading high-speed train operators that is developing simpler ways to book and travel on the fast-expanding, European high-speed rail network.
- Eurostar and Eurotunnel are entirely separate companies. Eurostar operates high-speed passenger trains, while Eurotunnel operates vehicle shuttle services and the Channel Tunnel itself. Eurostar is Eurotunnel’s biggest customer.
For more information please contact:
Eurostar Press Office
t: 020 7843 5500
e: press.office@eurostar.com