VIRGIN & ASHFORD INTERNATIONAL

One of the local MPs is supporting the various campaigns to re-open Ashford International for European train services. She is Helena Dollimore the MP for Hastings & Rye and sees Virgin as the most likely contender to run these services. Please click on the link below and support her campaign and her open letter to Virgin. https://www.helenadollimore.com/askrichardbransontorestoreinternationaltrains?link_id=6&can_id=3af25d85cb5cceff5475a97ab8281de4&source=email-fast-train-to-london-is-coming-in-december-2026&email_referrer=email_3393902&email_subject=fast-train-to-london-is-coming-in-december-2026&&

MORE TRAINS TO EUROPE – UPDATE ON PROGRESS SO FAR

In recent months there have been some promising announcements from several Train Operators. VIRGIN TRAINS now have confirmed access to the Stratford Depot, HS1 and London St Pancras.They plan to run up to 20 services per day from London to Paris, Brussels & Amsterdam. They plan to order 12 Avelia Stream trains from Alstom, though the order has yet to be confirmed. They hope to start services in 2030. See here for further information:https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/aug/17/virgin-trains-services-to-europe-eurostar TRENITALIA do not have access to the Stratford Depot and do not yet have confirmed access to HS1 and London St.Pancras. They do however have a depot under construction in Paris which could be used to maintain any trains serving London via the channel tunnel.They have

SLOW BUT STEADY PROGRESS FOR RAIL USERS ACROSS THE EU

DECEMBER 2021 Since The European Year of Rail in 2021(Do you remember this?) the EU has been committed to boost long distance and cross border passenger rail travel across Europe. See here for further details: –https://transport.ec.europa.eu/news-events/news/action-plan-boost-passenger-rail-2021-12-14_en NOVEMBER 2025 Then, last November the EU Commission launched their plans for supporting an expanded European High-Speed rail Network. The plans are ambitious and they hope to implement them by 2040. See here for further details:- https://transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-modes/rail/high-speed-rail-plan_en Here a few highlights from the plan: >> By 2030 passengers will be able to travel between Berlin and Copenhagen in 4 hours, instead of the 7 hours required today. >> By 2035, Sofia and Athens will be a train trip of 6 hours apart, reducing travel

A JOINT DEMAND WE HAVE MADE WITH RESEAU EN TRAIN EUROPE FOR FULL ACCESS FOR FOOT PASSENGERS AND CYCLISTS ON ALL CROSS CHANNEL FERRY CROSSINGS BETWEEN THE UK AND EUROPE

 The “Reseau European en Train” https://reseauentrain.eu/?p=2434 and “European Rail Campaign (UK)” both promote rail as the preferred means of sustainable transport. However, this does not stop at transport alone but also considers its relationship with the territories (its effects on daily life, development and tourism in the regions served) and with other modes of transport. In this case, this statement focuses on the interaction between trains and passenger ships. Definition and context – a few figures:  This statement focuses on regular passenger transport by ferry, which provide regular passenger services by sea (more rarely by river), but excluding tourist cruise ships. In the EU, these services carried 220 million passengers in 2024, and in the United Kingdom, 53 million passengers (38 million domestic and 15 million international.) In the UK, the main origin or destination country

FIRST STEPS TOWARDS INCREASED CAPACITY AT LONDON ST PANCRAS INTERNATIONAL

Finally, “Active Thinking” have now published their initial report which suggests capacity at the over-crowded Eurostar Terminal could actually be increased by around 33% during the next 3-4 years. They also say that in the long-term, with a re-design of the terminal, capacity could be further doubled to cater for up to 5,000 passengers per hour. We now have to hope that the terminals at the other end of the line in Europe will also be able to cope with the extra passengers. For further details please see : https://www.railwaygazette.com/uk/study-finds-international-passenger-capacity-at-london-st-pancras-could-be-doubled/68004.article AND THEN COULD THERE NOW BE SOME COMPETITION WITH EUROSTAR ? There was a very interesting session of “The House of Commons All-Party Parliamentary Rail Group on the 19th November.

ONE TRAIN TICKET ACROSS THE EUROPEAN UNION ?

Although the UK is no longer a member of the European Union, we should also benefit, if this ever becomes a reality. The European Commission President has recently re-stated her commitment to drive this forward during the next 5 years, since her re-election for a 2nd term. Here is a brief critical report of the statement she made on the 2nd of August 2024: – European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen wants Europeans to have easier international train travel. In her new term, it will be possible to travel across several countries with a single train ticket, she promised at her re-election. “Cross-border rail travel is still too difficult for many residents,” Von der Leyen wrote in her political

RAIL – SEA – RAIL TO EUROPE A BIT EASIER NOW

RAIL/SEA/RAIL VIA HARWICH to HOEK VAN HOLLAND On this route to mainland Europe Stena Line run both a day and a night crossing 7 days a week 365 days a year. It is also one of the few routes that is rail connected at both ports. It has become a little easier with the opening of the light rail (or metro) extension to Hoek van Holland Strand and the brand new through station at Hoek van Holland Haven. On April 5th our correspondent disembarked from the night ferry at 08.05 and by 09.15 was on an Inter City train from Rotterdam heading towards Brussels. Before you had a 500-meter trek to a temporary wooden platform, whereas now it is only 30 meters from

2023 >> MORE HIGH SPEED TRAINS + MORE NIGHT TRAINS MEANS MORE AND BETTER CONNECTIONS ACROSS EUROPE

Some of you may have come across the Euronews website. In case you missed this, they recently published a bulletin listing lots of news about new and improved services which will be running across many European countries this year. As well as lots of information, there are also some useful links to Traveller blogs- for example – 14 days around Italy and a rail trip across 9 different countries. There is even one by a seasoned rail campaigner who during 2 months last summer took 150 trains across 28 different countries in the European Economic area. See: https://www.euronews.com/travel/2022/12/28/flight-free-travel-europes-new-long-distance-train-routes-for-2022 And see also: https://www.euronews.com/travel/2022/07/22/meet-the-man-battling-to-fix-europe-s-trains-via-an-epic-40-day-journey

THROUGH TICKETING ACROSS EUROPE?

Before the Channel Tunnel opened in 1995, you could always buy a paper train ticket from most UK stations to most destinations all over Europe. Since the start of Eurostar services from London, it has become harder to buy a through ticket to many destinations beyond France, Belgium & The Netherlands. An easy connection at Brussels onto Germany is complicated by the fact that a Deutsche Bahn ticket for Germany is not valid on a Thalys (now part of Eurostar) service to Cologne. Thanks to rail campaigners all over Europe there is finally some hope on the horizon. Back in October, a formal agreement was announced by all main train operators across Europe that they will adapt their ticketing systems