Routes to Europe
HS1 Ltd involved in talks on running direct trains from St Pancras to new European destinations, including Bordeaux.
BORDEAUX is set to be the first of three new European destinations served by direct trains from St Pancras International.
Talks were held in the French city on April 25, with the possibility that trains could be running in two years. HS1 Ltd, Lisea, Eurotunnel and SNCF Réseau, the operators on the proposed route, attended the meeting.
They are working on preplanned and agreed timetable paths designed to speed up the introduction into traffic. They also discussed developing Gare de Bordeaux-Saint-Jean for international departures.
“Eurostar has previously operated an indirect route and has expressed interest in running a direct service. However, this may not necessarily be a Eurostar operation,” HS1 Ltd Chief Executive Dyan Crowther told RAIL.
The new French service would take less than five hours and would use the new 188-mile high speed line between Tours and Paris that opened last July.
Crowther told RAIL: “A couple of years is realistic. The co-operation between the railway infrastructure managers means that route development is at an advanced stage and awaiting an operator. The key to unlocking the route is agreement between the UK and French governments on border controls.”
Currently passengers must change trains in the French capital, with a 65-minute connection in Paris. The return connection is 115 minutes, owing to passing through border and security controls. It is planned the latter will be in Bordeaux, with the route bypassing Paris.
Crowther said: “This is the first time that railway operators have collaborated in this way, and saves the train operator having to do a lot of legwork. The route is almost ready for a train operator to turn up and turn the key as soon as the UK and French Governments agree on border controls.”
As for costs for the Bordeaux trains, she explained: “By design there is a high level of interoperability between the French high speed network and High Speed 1, although some investment in Bordeaux would be required for security controls for a direct service.”
She added that an order for new trains would only be needed depending upon service frequency: “For a low-frequency direct service targeted at leisure users, we believe there is sufficient available rolling stock, although that is a decision for the future operator.
“High Speed 1 has capacity for additional international off-peak services, hence the development of this potential route as a leisure service for holidaymakers.”
Geneva and Frankfurt are also potential destinations, HS1 Ltd has revealed as it seeks to develop the potential of the UK’s only existing high-speed railway. A new market development lead, Edmund Butcher, has been appointed to develop opportunities.
As for Brexit and any impact that could have, Crowther said: “The key issue for existing and future services is juxtaposed border controls, where passport checks take place prior to arrival. Eurostar’s Amsterdam route has demonstrated the demand and importance of direct services and the role of juxtaposed controls.
“There is an opportunity for the UK Government to demonstrate its commitment to a future relationship with Europe by moving quickly on border arrangements.”