Virgin Trains has been granted approval to launch international passenger services through the Channel Tunnel, ending Eurostar’s three-decade monopoly on cross-Channel rail travel.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has confirmed on Thursday that it has cleared Virgin to access the Temple Mills depot in east London, a critical maintenance site for trains using the High Speed 1 line that connects London to the Channel Tunnel.
The approval enables Sir Richard Branson’s company to move ahead with plans to begin operations by 2030.
Virgin’s proposal beat three other would-be Eurostar challengers: Italy’s state-owned Trenitalia, Spain’s Evolyn and start-up Gemini – after the regulator determined that the company’s bid was the most financially viable.
Sir Richard Branson hailed the decision, saying it would bring long-awaited competition to the route.
“The ORR’s decision is the right one for consumers. It’s time to end this 30-year monopoly and bring some Virgin magic to the cross-Channel route,” he said. “Virgin is no stranger to delivering award-winning rail services. And just as we have successfully challenged incumbents in air, cruise and rail, we’re ready to do it again. We’re going to shake up the cross-Channel route for good and give consumers the choice they deserve.”
In a post on social media, he added that Virgin had “always believed in a little healthy competition.”
Virgin confirmed it has ordered 12 new trains from manufacturer Alstom for the new international services. The company plans to run trains from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord, Brussels-Midi and Amsterdam Centraal, with future ambitions to expand routes deeper into France as well as into Germany and Switzerland.
The move could also pave the way for international services to return to Ashford and Ebbsfleet International stations in Kent, which have remained closed to cross-Channel services since the pandemic.
Rail minister Lord Peter Hendy welcomed the regulator’s ruling, describing it as “a significant step towards growth and a more competitive international rail market.” He said the government was working with private investors to develop new depot facilities to “meet the needs of the market” and ensure that depot capacity does not become “a barrier to greater competition and growth.”
“We will also continue to champion the reopening [of] Ashford and Ebbsfleet International stations as a priority to restore full connectivity, support tourism and boost growth across the region,” he added.
Eurostar has operated as the sole passenger train operator through the Channel Tunnel since services began in 1994. Virgin’s approval marks the first major challenge to that dominance in the route’s 30-year history.
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