Eurostar has announced a new year-round service to Geneva via Lille in northern France.
Eurostar London to Geneva
Eurostar have partnered with international high-speed train service “TGV Lyria” and from Thursday 9th October, tickets will go on sale for the new Swiss route starting at £116.00 return. The inaugural service will leave London St. Pancras on the 14th December 2014.
The London-Geneva route will take just 6 hours and 18 minutes including 37 minutes between connections in Lille. Services from and to London are specially timed to ensure a fast transfer between the connecting trains.
The new service is being introduced following customer research which revealed Geneva is one of the top destinations for UK travellers. The London-Lille-Geneva service and return journey will run on Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
The new route is the latest addition to Eurostar’s growing list of destinations, with a direct service to Lyon and Marseille starting in May next year, followed by Amsterdam in late 2016. The new Swiss service coincides with the refurbishment of Lille Europe station designed to significantly increase the capacity of the Eurostar terminal in order to accommodate growth in the number of connecting passengers. The new look Eurostar terminal will be unveiled in December this year. Meanwhile in London, plans are underway to revamp the facilities at the London St Pancras terminal and possibly a new interior look for Eurostar trains. All this activity is making train transport look very exciting for the future of travel in Europe.
The current Eurostar train model was first introduced into service in 1994 carrying 750 passengers and operating at speeds of up to 300kph. Since then, the fleet of 28 trains has carried more than 130 million passengers between London and the Continent. Following their refurbishment these trains will continue to form a core part of the Eurostar fleet. The new e320 will carry around 900 passengers at speeds of up to 320kph.
Nick Mercer, Commercial Director, Eurostar, said: “Today’s announcement marks another major milestone in our ambition to encourage more people to travel further by high-speed rail. Our research shows a real appetite for a more civilised way to reach popular European destinations, and this new connecting service offers easy access for customers looking for a city break in Geneva or to reach some of the most spectacular ski resorts in Europe. With city-centre to city-centre travel and a generous baggage allowance, the new offer proposes an attractive alternative to flying.”
For more information or to book Eurostar tickets visit: www.eurostar.com
