VIRGIN has upped its game in the race to compete with Eurostar as it signs a deal for 12 new high-speed trains.
The company hopes to add its services to Europe through the cross-Channel from 2030.
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A report revealed that Virgin has “secured binding exclusivity” with Alstom for a dozen Avelia Stream trains.
The company will use the trains for journeys into mainland Europe if Virgin secures a deal to use the Channel Tunnel.
The revelation was found in Virgin’s submission to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to be allowed to run services on HS1, the high-speed line from London St Pancras to the Kent coast and through the Channel tunnel.
Read More on Europe Breaks
It states that Virgin wants to launch services in 2030 with trains from London to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.
This will put it in direct competition with Eurostar, and Virgin added that it hopes to expand further across France, and into Germany and Switzerland in the future.
Virgin also said that as a result of the deal with Alstom, it’s currently the only applicant with both funding and trains secured for cross-Channel rail services.
If it’s approved, Virgin’s services would be the first significant challenge to Eurostar’s dominance of the Channel Tunnel since it began operating in 1994.
Virgin first announced plans to take on Eurostar in January 2025.
The race for the cross-Channel tunnel was further spurred on when a new report in March 2025 confirmed that the London Channel Tunnel depot at Temple Mills, where Eurostar stores its trains, has space for more storage.
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However, Virgin is not the only one with its eyes on the prize.
Start-up Evolyn announced plans for trains between London and Paris back in 2023.
The company revealed in 2023 that it hoped to launch a fleet of 12 Avelia trains in 2025.
Gemini Trains also revealed plans to launch 10 trains from the UK to Europe, with routes to Paris and Brussels.
The new train operator, which is currently being established, hopes to begin its rail journey by launching services from London to Paris and Brussels.
Once services between London and Paris and Brussels have launched, Gemini hopes to expand to more European destinations.
Alongside Gemini is Uber, who has said they will be branding the cross-Channel routes.
This means that UK travellers will be able to book a train to Europe via the Uber app.
Brits can already book trains using the Uber app but it will be a first for branded Uber trains to Europe.
Plus, read more on Eurostar’s plans to launch direct trains to two new European countries.
And one travel writer discovered the perfect budget foreign holiday by train.
Why Virgin taking on Eurostar is good for consumers
The Sun’s Head of Travel Lisa Minot explained how this is good news for UK travellers
WHILE a second operator on the channel tunnel could only be a positive move for travellers, there are significant challenges before this could become reality.
Eurostar currently has a monopoly on the route and competition would potentially bring more choice, lower prices and new routes.
Eurostar itself is a shadow of the company it was in its glory days with direct routes to Disneyland Paris, Lyon, Avignon and Marseille plus its fabulous ski train to the Alps.
While the pandemic brought the company almost to its knees, it has been steadily getting back on its feet and the merger with Belgian operator Thalys has opened up fast train services to Germany.
But the constrictions on space at St Pancras and the maintenance depot at Temple Mills plus the potential disruption when the new European Entry Exit System finally arrives mean there are still significant problems that need to be addressed
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