Eurostar rival service one step closer after £1.7bn investment
- Italian state railway operator FS Italiane Group has ordered 19 high-speed trains to launch services between London and Paris by 2029.
- The £1.7bn investment via subsidiary Trenitalia France aims to challenge Eurostar’s decades-long monopoly on the Channel Tunnel route.
- The Channel Tunnel currently operates at just 50 per cent capacity, offering significant scope for prospective rival operators.
- A new maintenance hub near Paris will support the planned expansion and reduce operational reliance on British depots.
- Other rail companies including Virgin Trains, Gemini Trains and Evolyn have also expressed interest in running cross-Channel services.
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