Eurostar has signed a memorandum of understanding with Swiss and French rail operators to explore direct train services between London and Switzerland for the first time. The agreement, involving Eurostar, SBB, and SNCF Voyageurs, marks a significant step towards establishing a new rail connection between the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
Potential Routes and Timelines
According to Eurostar, London is the top flight destination from Switzerland, with strong customer demand for a direct rail alternative. The proposed routes would run through France, with journeys from London to Zurich taking approximately six hours, while connections to Geneva would be slightly shorter at around five and a half hours. However, the project is still in its early stages, with entry formalities, necessary infrastructure changes, and intergovernmental agreements needing to be confirmed before moving forward. Eurostar has stated that the earliest feasible launch date would be sometime in the 2030s.
Background and Context
Eurostar has been operating cross-Channel connections for over 30 years. In March, SBB and SNCF Voyageurs reached an initial agreement to develop new rail routes, which has now been formalised with Eurostar. The memorandum of understanding is described as an important milestone in long-term planning for a direct connection to the UK.
Other New Rail Connections
In related news, a direct rail service between Prague and Copenhagen launched on 1 May, operated by Czech carrier České dráhy. This marks the first direct connection between the two capitals in over a decade. Due to track closures in Germany, the service currently runs two trains per day via a detour between Berlin and Hamburg, making the journey slightly longer. For the next few weeks, the service departs Prague Main Station at 6:31am, arriving in Copenhagen at 7:38pm, with a return service leaving Copenhagen at 8:22am and arriving in Prague at 9:25pm.
