Italian rail operator Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS Group) has signed an agreement with Hitachi Rail for the supply of 19 new high-speed trains, aiming to break Eurostar's monopoly on the Channel Tunnel route. The €2 billion (£1.7 billion) fleet, ordered by subsidiary Trenitalia France, will serve the London to Paris route, with services scheduled to launch in 2029.
New Fleet Features and Routes
Each train will feature next-generation Wi-Fi connectivity, an on-board bistro, and an even more comfortable travel experience. The company stated that the new fleet will also strengthen existing routes from Paris to Lyon, Milan, and Marseille.
Ending Eurostar's 30-Year Dominance
For three decades, Eurostar has been the only operator offering passenger services through the Channel Tunnel. Several operators, including Evolyn in Spain and Virgin Trains in the UK, have previously attempted to compete with Eurostar. The tunnel has only been operating at 50% capacity, leaving ample opportunity for a competitor to enter the market.
Strategic Investments and Partnerships
In January, state-owned FS Group announced a partnership with US private investment firm Certares to develop the high-speed rail route. The group also circumvented the need for UK train storage facilities by planning an €80 million storage facility just outside Paris. Earlier, Virgin Trains had appeared likely to be the first competitor after securing permission to store trains at the Temple Mill International depot.
Gianpiero Strisciuglio, CEO of FS Italiane Group, told Time Out that the new trains and the maintenance hub are "fundamental elements for the launch of the Paris–London connection, a project that is central to our vision of the 'Metro of Europe', the integrated high-speed network that will increasingly connect Europe's major cities".
