Virgin has taken a major step towards launching new cross-Channel passenger services from 2030 after signing agreements with Alstom for the supply of 12 Avelia Stream high-speed trains and long-term fleet maintenance.
The agreement marks a significant development in Virgin’s ambitions to enter the international high-speed rail market, potentially bringing additional competition and capacity to cross-Channel services connecting Britain with continental Europe.
Under the arrangements, Alstom will design and manufacture the new trains at its Savigliano facility in Italy, while maintenance activities will be undertaken in the UK.
The agreements remain subject to regulatory approval and financial close, with Alstom expecting to formally book the order once those conditions have been satisfied.
Virgin says its proposed services could support more than 1,000 jobs across the UK and Europe while adding millions of seats to the cross-Channel network.
Avelia Stream fleet selected for international services
The 12-train order will be based on Alstom’s Avelia Stream high-speed platform, which has been developed for intercity and international rail operations.
The trains are intended to provide the performance, energy efficiency and passenger accommodation required for Virgin’s planned European routes.
Manufacturing will take place at Alstom’s Savigliano site in Italy, a specialist high-speed rolling stock production facility with a history of train manufacturing stretching back almost 150 years.
The site serves as one of Alstom’s global centres of excellence for high-speed rail and will be responsible for producing the fleet required for Virgin’s proposed international operations.
Alstom will also provide long-term maintenance services in the UK, taking responsibility for supporting fleet reliability and performance throughout the trains’ operational lives.
The combined rolling stock supply and maintenance arrangement reflects an approach in which manufacturers take a continuing role in fleet performance beyond initial delivery.
Andrew DeLeone, Europe Region President at Alstom, said: “Virgin has changed the way people travel for decades. We are incredibly excited to be working with Virgin once again, a brand we greatly admire for its commitment to innovation, customer experience and growing sustainable rail travel. Across Europe, passengers are increasingly looking for more seamless cross-border high-speed rail connections, and this project will help deliver exactly that.”
He added: “Our Avelia Stream platform combines proven high-speed performance with outstanding energy efficiency, passenger comfort and operational flexibility. As both the train supplier and fleet maintainer, Alstom will support Virgin throughout the full lifecycle of the project – from delivery into service through to long-term operations – helping to ensure a reliable, high-quality service for decades to come.”
Virgin revives historic relationship with Alstom
The agreement renews a longstanding relationship between Virgin and Alstom, which previously supplied the Class 390 Pendolino fleet operated by Virgin Trains on the West Coast Main Line.
The Pendolino trains became closely associated with Virgin’s operation of long-distance rail services in Britain, introducing tilting technology to support higher-speed operation on the existing railway.
Virgin’s decision to work with Alstom on its proposed international services builds on that relationship, bringing the two companies together for a new generation of high-speed trains.
The announcement also follows Virgin’s unveiling of the distinctive red and black livery planned for the Avelia Stream fleet.
Josh Bayliss, Chief Executive Officer at Virgin Group, said: “We are delighted to be back working with Alstom. We share a long and proud history with the company, most memorably with the manufacture and maintenance of our iconic UK Pendolino fleet.
“Securing this agreement is significant step in our plans to start cross-Channel services and Alstom is a fantastic partner to work with as we turn our ambition into reality.
“Our plans will unlock significant growth and investment in European rail, support more than 1,000 jobs across the UK and Europe and add millions of seats to the cross-Channel network, encouraging more people to travel by train and supporting tourism and local economies.
“Alstom’s expertise in high-speed rail and long track record of innovation make it the ideal partner for this exciting next chapter. We’re looking forward to seeing our distinctive red and black trains travelling across Europe.”
New services could reshape cross-Channel competition
Virgin’s proposed entry into the cross-Channel market forms part of growing interest in expanding international passenger rail services between Britain and mainland Europe.
The agreement represents a tangible step towards establishing a new fleet capable of operating those services, although the proposed launch remains dependent on the necessary regulatory and financial arrangements.
International high-speed rail operations present additional complexities compared with domestic services, including the need for compatible rolling stock, access to infrastructure and appropriate maintenance arrangements.
For prospective operators, securing suitable trains is a major component of developing a credible service proposition, particularly where vehicles must operate across different national railway systems.
Virgin’s selection of an established high-speed platform provides a foundation for progressing its plans, while the long-term maintenance agreement is intended to support fleet availability once services begin.
The proposed introduction of additional cross-Channel capacity could also have wider implications for passenger choice, tourism and international business travel.
However, the scale and timing of those benefits will depend on the final service arrangements and the successful completion of the approvals and investment processes required to begin operations.
UK maintenance activities to support long-term employment
Although the trains will be manufactured in Italy, the agreement provides for maintenance activities to be delivered by Alstom in the UK.
This element of the project could create opportunities across the British rail engineering and maintenance supply chain, including specialist technical services, components and fleet support.
Long-term maintenance arrangements are particularly important for high-speed fleets, where reliability, vehicle availability and efficient servicing directly influence operational performance.
Alstom’s involvement across both manufacturing and maintenance is intended to provide continuity between the design of the fleet and its subsequent operation.
Virgin has indicated that its wider plans could support more than 1,000 jobs across the UK and Europe, although the announcement does not specify how those roles would be distributed between manufacturing, maintenance and other operational activities.
Regulatory approval and financial close remain key milestones
Despite the significance of the agreements, the fleet order has not yet reached the stage of an unconditional contract booking.
Alstom has confirmed that booking is expected following regulatory approval and financial close, meaning further steps must be completed before the order is formally secured.
The announcement also does not specify a contract value or provide a detailed delivery schedule for the 12 trains.
Those outstanding milestones will be important in determining whether Virgin can achieve its ambition of launching services from 2030.
For the wider railway industry, the development demonstrates continued commercial interest in expanding international high-speed passenger services and investing in new rolling stock to support that growth.
It also highlights the potential for greater competition in the cross-Channel market, with prospective operators seeking to introduce additional capacity and alternative passenger offerings.
As Virgin progresses its plans, attention will turn to securing the necessary approvals, completing financing arrangements and establishing the operational framework required to bring the new trains into service.
If delivered, the project would mark a significant return to passenger rail operations for the Virgin brand, while creating a new chapter in its relationship with Alstom and potentially expanding the range of high-speed rail travel options available between Britain and Europe.
