Overview

• Virgin Group aims to raise £300m in equity and £400m in debt to support its proposed cross-Channel rail project.
• The service would be the first direct competitor to Eurostar, which has operated the route for 30 years.
• Virgin's high-frequency rail service could connect London with Paris, Brussels, and potentially Amsterdam by the end of the decade.
• The project is still in its early stages, with Virgin seeking investment partners and no firm commitment to launch yet.
• Access to a key London train depot remains a challenge, as Virgin and other potential competitors have requested regulatory intervention to resolve disputes.