Services "outstrip" air travel says operator
Eurostar has reported a record number of travellers in 2008 as ticket sales rose 10.9%.
The 9.1m passengers carried last year - an increase of 10.3% compared to 2007's 8.26m - generated £664m in sales despite the harsh economic conditions.
According to Eurostar, sales have been boosted since the High Speed 1 line between St. Pancras and the British end of the channel tunnel opened in 2007.
Travel times have been slashed since the UK caught up with Europe and its high-speed lines, such as France's LGV Nord and Belgium's HSL 1.
Eurostar said its punctuality continues to "outstrip the airline competition" with 92.4% of trains arriving on time compared to 65.4% for airlines on competing routes.
But 2008's figures would have been higher if not for September's channel tunnel fire said Eurostar, while the economic downturn itself had little effect.
Richard Brown, Eurostar's chief executive, said: "An increase of nearly a million extra passengers using High Speed 1 during its first year of operations, even with the impact of the tunnel fire, demonstrates beyond doubt that people prefer high-speed rail to short-haul air.
"They are switching because rail journeys are faster, more punctual, more convenient, and have less environmental impact."
Mr Brown said 2009 would be challenging for Eurostar, but held out hope for the long-term.
He said: "High Speed 1 is fully connected into Europe's fast expanding high-speed network and we expect to see continuing growth in the number of travellers making longer connecting journeys."
Last year's tunnel fire continues to disrupt services, with an amended timetable and speed restrictions in place until March while repairs are carried out.
www.eurostar.com