A new British-based company, Gemini Trains, has announced plans to launch direct train services from London to Germany, aiming to break Eurostar's decades-long dominance of the Channel Tunnel route. The company intends to offer services to Cologne and Frankfurt, with potential expansions to Düsseldorf and other German cities.
Gemini Trains plans to use Stratford International as its primary London station, with additional stops at Ebbsfleet International and Ashford International. The operator will lease eight electric trains, each 200 meters long and capable of carrying over 550 passengers. By 2030, Gemini aims to operate approximately 11 services daily, a significant reduction from Eurostar's current 26 services per day from London.
Tickets are expected to utilize dynamic pricing, with Gemini hoping to offer one-way fares to Paris around £59. Journeys to Cologne are projected to take about four hours, comparable to Eurostar's London-Amsterdam route. The company cites a growing demand for long-distance rail travel and expanding competition in Europe, noting that the core Channel Tunnel route has, until now, had only one provider.
Eurostar has held a monopoly on the Channel Tunnel for the past 30 years. However, recent regulatory changes are paving the way for increased competition. Other ventures aiming to challenge Eurostar include plans by billionaire Sir Richard Branson for high-speed cross-Channel services to Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam by 2030, and services from Italian operator Trenitalia and Spain's Evolyn.
In response to the evolving market and potential competition, Eurostar is planning a substantial investment of approximately £1.7 billion. This investment will fund a fleet of 50 new double-decker trains, designated 'Celestia.' These trains are designed to withstand extreme temperatures, reaching up to 55°C, and are intended to enable direct services to Geneva and Frankfurt via Cologne by 2031. The focus on temperature resilience comes after recent disruptions to rail services caused by heatwaves, which led to the cancellation of several London-Paris trains in late June.