A new direct Eurostar service could soon connect London St Pancras to three Swiss cities, offering a faster and more convenient way to travel to central Europe. The proposed route would link the UK directly to Zurich, Basel, and Geneva, eliminating the need for a change of trains in Paris.
Memorandum of Understanding Signed
The plans were unveiled in a press release by Eurostar, confirming that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) had been signed between Eurostar, SBB (Swiss Federal Railways), and French operator SNCF Voyageurs. The agreement was described as an important milestone in planning the new route.
If implemented, direct trains from London to Zurich would take approximately six hours, services to Basel would take five hours, and the journey to Geneva would be around five-and-a-half hours. These direct connections could cut overall travel time by up to two hours compared to current routes.
Current Route Inconvenience
At present, passengers booking London to Switzerland trains with Eurostar must change at Paris Gare du Nord and then travel across the city to Paris Gare de Lyon to catch a connecting TGV train. This not only requires carrying luggage on the metro but also adds an hour or more to most journeys.
Eurostar's press release stated: "The signed MoU is an important milestone. The next step is to analyse potential timetables and operational concepts. Based on this, the key steps and milestones for the potential introduction of such a direct connection from London to Switzerland." The three partners aim to offer the direct connection as soon as possible, with implementation feasible sometime in the 2030s.
Expansion Plans
Eurostar currently operates direct trains from London St Pancras to five destinations: Paris, Brussels, Lille, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam. However, passengers can book connecting trains to over 20 destinations, including cities in Germany, Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. The company has previously raised the possibility of longer direct routes, such as to Marseille in southern France and Milan in Italy.
To support expansion, Eurostar has ordered up to 50 Celestia double-decker trains, which will be introduced from May 2031, offering increased capacity on popular routes. The company also unveiled ambitious plans to upgrade St Pancras International, aiming to handle 5,000 passengers per hour by 2028. By 2030, arrivals are expected to be moved upstairs to boost capacity. Richard Thorp, chief operating officer at London St Pancras Highspeed, said the station was delighted to join forces with Eurostar to expand capacity and future-proof the station for growing demand.
