Railway group Eurostar has announced strong financial year-end results, alongside brand-new destinations the business intends to serve with its new trains.
The fleet of up to 50 trains will be in service from the early 2030s and is planned to operate three new direct routes, which Eurostar will now work with partners on, the group said.
The new routes include:
- London – Frankfurt
- London – Geneva
- Amsterdam/Brussels – Geneva
In the shorter term, the successful re-instatement of direct services between London, Rotterdam and Amsterdam in February 2025 will see a fourth daily service added from 9 September and a fifth from mid-December, the group said.
The news comes as Eurostar announces its 2024 financial results. Despite a challenging economic climate, driven by high inflation and increases in fixed costs, Eurostar achieved an EBITDA of €346 million due to growth in passengers travelling and focused cost management.
Reflecting the continued demand for international rail travel across Europe, passenger numbers rose to over 19.5 million, marking a 5% year-on-year increase. This brings Eurostar closer to its ambitious target or carrying 30 million passengers annually.
To support this growth, the company will invest approximately €2 billion in up to 50 new trains, which will all be able to operate across its whole network. The new trains will operate alongside Eurostar’s current fleet of 17 e320s, bringing its total fleet to 67 trains – a 30% increase on today.
“We’re seeing strong demand for train travel across Europe, with customers wanting to go further by rail than ever before and enjoy the unique experience we provide,” said Gwendoline Cazenave (Eurostar CEO).
“Despite the challenging economic climate, Eurostar is growing and has bold ambitions for the future. Our new fleet will make new destinations for customers a reality, notably direct trains between London and Germany, and between London and Switzerland for the first time. A new golden age of international sustainable travel is here,” she said.
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