London St. Pancras Highspeed and Eurotunnel have announced a landmark partnership aimed at significantly enhancing international high-speed rail services between the UK and Europe. The two organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen their collaboration, with a focus on reducing journey times, improving timetable coordination, and incentivising the introduction of more trains and new routes.
This strategic partnership, announced today, signifies a major step towards transforming sustainable and efficient cross-Channel travel. London St. Pancras Highspeed, the UK’s sole high-speed rail infrastructure operator, and Eurotunnel, owned by Getlink, are committed to expanding rail connectivity on both sides of the English Channel.
The MoU outlines a series of key initiatives to enhance collaboration, including exploring opportunities to shorten journey times, improve timetable synchronisation, and align growth strategies. Both parties will also work together to increase the frequency of international services, aiming to make rail travel the preferred option for journeys to the continent.
The announcement follows a recent study by London St. Pancras Highspeed, which highlighted the potential to increase passenger capacity at the station to nearly 5,000 per hour, unlocking the full potential of the high-speed line.
As advocates for sustainable transportation, both organisations are committed to promoting “rail first” public policies, emphasising the environmental advantages of rail journeys under six hours. They will actively collaborate with governments to highlight these benefits.
Robert Sinclair, CEO of London St. Pancras Highspeed, said: “Joining forces with Eurotunnel is another exciting step on our journey to realise a future where high-speed rail is the preferred option for travelling to Europe. As we see demand for international rail travel grow, London St. Pancras Highspeed and Eurotunnel have an important role to play as key infrastructure managers to actively work together to encourage new and existing train operators to expand capacity and launch new destinations unlocking the potential of a fully connected Europe.”
Yann Leriche, CEO of Getlink, added: “As an open access infrastructure, Eurotunnel is the pioneer in enabling growth of high-speed rail between the UK and Continental Europe. We are keen to drive forward attractive opportunities for low-carbon mobility with a range of new destinations in Germany, Switzerland and France. This partnership with London St. Pancras Highspeed is an essential catalyst for accelerating this growth momentum.”
The partnership aims to make international high-speed rail travel faster, more affordable, and more convenient, ultimately boosting cross-Channel connectivity and promoting sustainable travel options.
