From time to time, I do cover Eurostar here on this site, despite them not being an airline. However, they do have their own loyalty program, plus they are a hotel points transfer partner. I’ve written about the program here, so for now, all aboard the Future Express! Eurostar has just teased its boldest expansion yet, with direct services to Frankfurt and Geneva set to roll out in the early 2030s, apparently because someone has finally remembered that Switzerland and Germany also exist on rail maps.
The move is powered by Eurostar’s whopping multi-billion pound order of 50 brand-new trains, which are expected to enter service within the next decade. Once operational, they’ll turbocharge the network with more routes, more seats, and a lot more trainspotters grinning at St Pancras.
In This Post
Frankfurt and Geneva via St Pancras? It’s Happening.
The upcoming routes will mark the first-ever direct Eurostar links from London to Germany and Switzerland, giving the Continent-hopping crowd an alternative to cramped economy cabins and dodgy in-flight baguettes.
The new fleet won’t just hang about in London. You can expect expanded links from Amsterdam to Brussels and Geneva as well. Frankfurt will finally get a taste of high-speed swagger from the Channel Tunnel, and frankly, it’s about time.
The Fleet: Bigger, Faster, and (Hopefully) On Time
Eurostar’s current 17 e320 trains will get some company soon, as the fleet balloons to 67 sets a neat 30% boost in hardware. That’s a lot of sleek steel, even by continental standards.
Eurostar CCO François Le Doze has been dropping breadcrumbs for months, previously teasing that the new trains would “inject more capacity” and open up “ambitious new destinations”. Well, François, Geneva and Frankfurt certainly count.
Amsterdam Gets Even More Love
Not to be overshadowed by the shiny long-term plans, Eurostar is also boosting its London–Amsterdam service. Starting 9 September, a fourth daily train joins the rotation, and by mid-December, a fifth rolls in. That’s nearly enough to satisfy even the most hardcore Stroopwafel fans.
Eurostar’s Big Pitch: Sustainable Jet-Setting (Minus the Jet)
Eurostar CEO Gwendoline Cazenave isn’t mincing words:
We’re seeing strong demand for train travel across Europe… Our new fleet will make new destinations for customers a reality… A new golden age of international sustainable travel is here.
Translation: while airlines are still trying to flog £9 scratch-card flights to Frankfurt with a 3am departure from Luton, Eurostar is betting big on speed, comfort, and carbon-cutting clout.
But Wait – Rivals on the Rails?
Of course, no golden age would be complete without a little drama. Virgin Trains and the new Gemini Trains are both cooking up plans to challenge Eurostar on cross-Channel routes. Think of it as the great railway showdown, except with fewer spurs and more spads.
François Le Doze told WingTips (okay, not really, but we’re manifesting) that competition will only sharpen Eurostar’s edge. We’ll be watching closely, ideally from a Club Eurostar seat with a decent croissant.
Next Stop…
