1 week Ago By Jessica Hamilton
Trains are predicted to get a whole lot cheaper (Picture: Bloomberg via Getty Images)The days of expensive rail tickets may soon be over as Channel Tunnel fares are set to drop by up to 30%.As passenger demand for international rail travel continues to grow – and new companies are set to give Eurostar competition – experts predict that travellers could see a significant reduction in fares.Ticket prices are set by individual train operators and London St Pancras have made no official comment.
However, according to Eurostar’s website, a standard one-way ticket from London to Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Lille or Rotterdam starts from £39 – a 30% reduction would bring that fare down to around £27 (£11.70 less). For Eurostar Plus, where tickets start from around £70, a 30% discount would reduce the price by £21 for £49 tickets.
Meanwhile, the highest standard fare found within the next month is £235 for travel on Friday, April 11. A 30% reduction would bring the total price down to £165.London St Pancras is planning to expand its international passenger capacity (Picture: Getty Images)The report, by infrastructure consultancy Steer, suggests that the annual passenger numbers on the high-speed line connecting London to the Channel Tunnel could more than triple – rising from 11 million to 35 million by 2040.
Findings also indicate that increased demand could see up to 18 additional daily services on existing routes, as well as the launch of new trains to as many as five destinations across Western Europe.The report was commissioned by London St Pancras High Speed, which owns both the station and high-speed tracks leading to the tunnel.There are already plans to more than double the international passenger capacity at St Pancras station to nearly 5,000 passengers per hour to accommodate the expected growth in the next decade.
Robert Sinclair, CEO of London St. Pancras Highspeed, said: ‘This report points to the biggest transformation in international high-speed rail travel in a generation. ‘Passengers are increasingly choosing rail over air for climate reasons and because they like the convenience and comfort of direct city centre to city centre travel.
’A cheap jaunt to Paris, perhaps? (Picture: Getty Images)Latest London news11 people taken to hospital after ‘e-bike fire’ rips through tower blockI’m a food writer and I’d never heard of this US chain in LondonInside the plans to revamp London Liverpool Street stationTo get the latest news from the capital visit Metro's London news hub.Eurostar has held a monopoly on passenger trains in the Channel Tunnel since it opened in 1994. However, that may soon change as several companies are developing plans to launch rival services.
Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group has said there are ‘no more major hurdles’ to overcome before it can begin operating trains through the tunnel. The positive claim was made after the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) confirmed that Eurostar’s Temple Mills maintenance depot could be used by other train operators.The depot, where trains can maintained and stored, is crucial for other operators to be able to compete.
The ORR confirmed that ‘operational and maintenance arrangements’ could be made to make this possible.Another competitor is Italy’s state-owned rail company Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS Group) which has announced plans to launch a high-speed rail service between London and Paris by 2029.The group, which is a co-owner of Avanti West Coast, could extend the route to Marseilles, Lyon and Milan, and is also looking at a possible reopening of Ashford International in Kent.
London St Pancras Highspeed recently announced it would offer ‘financial incentives’ to new and existing operators to increase services on the line, which is currently operating at 50% capacity. Do you have a story to share?Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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