Virgin Group Cleared to Challenge Eurostar with Channel Tunnel Train Services
A key regulatory decision unlocks access to critical infrastructure, enabling Virgin to proceed with plans to launch cross-Channel rail services by 2029.
- The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) confirmed that capacity at Eurostar's Temple Mills depot can be allocated to other operators, removing a major barrier to competition.
- Virgin Group announced there are 'no more major hurdles' to its plans to launch cross-Channel train services connecting London with Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam by 2029.
- The company is raising £700 million to fund the project and is preparing to order high-speed trains worth over £500 million.
- Eurostar, which has held a monopoly on Channel Tunnel passenger services since 1994, disputes the ORR's findings, claiming depot capacity remains insufficient for additional operators.
- Other competitors, including Evolyn and Gemini Trains, are also seeking to enter the cross-Channel rail market, signaling a broader push for competition.
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