Is Eurostar about to face competition from another rail company on the Paris - London route? It certainly seems so. On Friday, August 7, 2026, Trenitalia France announced its desire to enter this market, and significant resources are being deployed to that end: two billion euros will be invested by the FS Italiane group to purchase new trains.
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Target 2029
In total, 19 high-speed trains will be purchased from Japanese company Hitachi Rail. These will serve to establish connections between France and the United Kingdom (10 of them), while also strengthening the Paris, Lyon, Marseille and Milan routes — already operated by the Italian company since 2021. All will be equipped with Wi-Fi and a new type of bar car with an improved dining offer will be developed. The goal would be to launch the high-speed connection between Paris and London in 2029.
A direct competitor to Eurostar
Currently, Eurostar is the only one operating the Channel Tunnel. "Increased competition will allow for more choices for travelers
hours, lower fares and new possible destinations »", explained Robert Sinclair, general director of London St. Pancras Highspeed to AFP.In parallel, 50 new double-deck trains have been ordered by Eurostar, with the aim of increasing its capacity. « This is the company's biggest investment, two billion euros in total, in order to reach our objective of 30 million passengers per year », explained Eurostar's spokesperson, whose comments were reported by Capital.
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