Inaugurated in 1994, following the
completion of the undersea Channel Tunnel linking England with
France, Eurostar is a high-speed international
passenger-rail service. Reaching speeds of up to 186mph (299km/h)
on dedicated lines, the Eurostar journeys through the Kent
countryside before diving into the 31.4 mile (50.5km) long Channel
Tunnel at Folkestone. The train emerges at Coquelles in Northern
France.
Connecting the cities of London,
Paris and Lille in France, and the Belgian capital of Brussels,
plus Amsterdam in The Netherlands, Eurostar allows
travellers to avoid the long queues and lengthy transfers
associated with air travel whilst maintaining a comfortable, fast
service.
Eurostar launched services
from St. Pancras and Ebbsfleet International in November 2007
following the completion of the second section of the UK's first
high-speed line. Journey times have subsequently fallen, with
London-Paris taking 2 hours 15 minutes, London-Brussels taking 1
hour 51 minutes, and the trip from London to Lille lasting just 1
hour 20 minutes.
Eurostar's fleet of 38
modified Train à Grande Vitesse (TGV) trains consist of two power
cars and either 14 or 18 passenger carriages offering a modern and
comfortable service to passengers.
A fleet of Eurostar E320 trains were
introduced in 2015, capable of speeds of up to 320km/h. The new
trains boast interiors designed by Italian firm, Pininfarina.
Eurostar's Standard Class coaches feature two
seats on either side of the central aisle, most of which is
arranged in an 'airline' seating configuration with drop down tray
tables. There are two tables for four per carriage. Passengers
travelling in Eurostar Standard Class coaches
can take advantage of the Bar-Buffet, which sells a range of
snacks, meals, hot and cold drinks - including Champagne!
The highest class of Eurostar travel
available for leisure customers is Standard Premier Class. In your
dedicated Standard Premier carriage, you'll find a less dense seat
configuration, meaning the seats are larger and you have ample
space to relax and stretch out. As part of the service, you'll
enjoy complimentary drinks and refreshments, served at your seat by
friendly, helpful staff.