This morning, Eurostar (Thursday 20 September) rushed between Brussels Midi station and London St Pancras in a record 1h 43min, at times touching nearly 200mph (320 kph).
Even when underground, as it passed near the 2012 Olympic site at 140mph (225kph), it was still quicker than any other train operating in the UK.
Actual services will be introduced on Wednesday 14 November with London-Brussels scheduled for 1h51min, and London-Paris 2h15 min.
Speaking on board, Eurostar CEO Richard Brown had this to say:
”Today”s journey puts London and Brussels firmly within the two-hour club. Eurostar is quite simply the fastest, most convenient way to travel ” avoiding wasted time and money in getting to out-of-town airports, lengthy check-in times, and baggage reclaim delays.”
”The connections between domestic rail services and St Pancras International mean that travellers from across Britain will be able to reach Brussels, and cities throughout Belgium and France, in journey times that are competitive with flying, using trains that are more productive for business travellers, more relaxing for leisure travellers, and greener for all.”
ABTN was able to prove the point, the editor-in-chief walking across the road to Kings Cross, taking First Capital Connect and arriving at Potters Bar 12:21 having left Brussels Midi at 11:15 local.
With the first outbound train timed from St Pancras at 05:27 and arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 08:50, early rising (very early rising) business passengers from Britain will be able to reach the centre of Paris before 09:00.
For Brussels the 06:00 gets in at 08:56 (all times local). A full working day in mainland Europe from south east England will be easily possible without the need for a night stop. And you can of course work on the train, wirelessly if required ” hopefully in the tunnels too before the year end.
In the evenings, not only will the journey time be quicker, but the last outbound has been timed for a 20min later departure than previously.
Eurostar will increase the number of weekday services on the London-Paris route from 15 to 17 by February 2008. There will be ten weekday services on the London ” Brussels route, with the number of trains raised from seven to eight a day at weekends.
Also introduced in November is a new station at Ebbsfleet, north Kent, just by the Bluewater shopping centre.
Eurostar will operate seven daily services from Ebbsfleet to Paris and five to Brussels, with some trains also calling at Ashford International. Ebbsfleet will also feature parking spaces for 2,500 cars within five minutes walk of check-in.