Britons looking for an alternative to flying when travelling to Europe may soon have new options, as Eurotunnel, the owner of the Channel Tunnel, is considering launching new train routes to Germany and Switzerland within the next five years.
Currently operating between Folkestone and Calais, Eurotunnel celebrated its 40th anniversary this year.
Yann Leriche, Chief Executive of Getlink, the company that owns Eurotunnel, has disclosed plans to introduce routes connecting London to destinations in Germany and Switzerland, potentially replacing flights.
The proposed routes would take approximately five to six hours and include cities such as Cologne and Frankfurt in Germany, as well as Geneva and Zurich in Switzerland.
Leriche said: “What we see is that suddenly with the work that we have done, we have an appetite and demand from new entrants like never in the past.”
He also mentioned discussions with two other operators regarding the possibility of new competing routes.
The move comes as several train lines aim to challenge Eurostar’s monopoly on routes between London and Europe.
Former Virgin Trains boss Phil Whittingham is reportedly gearing up to launch Virgin Trains services between the UK and Europe. Virgin Trains, which operated from 1997 to 2019, may see a resurgence in the market, potentially providing new competition.
Additionally, a new Dutch operator, Heuro, is considering launching trains connecting London, Amsterdam, and Paris, offering 15 daily return services between London and Amsterdam. Start-up company Evolyn has also unveiled plans to introduce non-stop train services between London St Pancras and Paris Nord by 2025.
Yann Leriche expressed optimism about the increased competition, stating that it would encourage “more competition and lower fares”.
