When the direct services aren’t running, passengers normally have to change at Brussels-Midi/Zuid.
Strong demand during the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics in Paris was one of the main drivers, with the London-Paris, London-Brussels, and Paris-Netherlands routes experiencing the most demand.
Individual routes witnessed an increase of 280,000 passengers between London and Paris, 250,000 between London and Brussels, 160,000 between Paris and Brussels, and 140,000 between Paris and the Netherlands.
“Eurostar continued its strong growth in 2024, breaking its own previous passenger records. I would like to thank our customers and recognise the efforts of our teams for this excellent result in the company’s 30th year.
“Looking ahead, this is further proof of the huge demand for international rail and the great potential of sustainable travel. Eurostar is targeting growth to 30 million passengers and investing in up to 50 new trains as a direct result, with the aim of delivering a unique and exceptional service long into the future.”
According to Eurostar, the new fleet will guarantee there is enough capacity for the 30 million people annually it hopes to carry by 2030 as well as to support future expansion as the demand for environmentally friendly travel grows.
Its fleet would grow from 51 to 67 with the addition of the new trains. It will retire its e300s, PBKAs and PBAs but keep its 17 e320 trains. Eight e300s that Alstom provided for the 1994 Channel Tunnel opening are operated by Eurostar on cross-Channel trips to London.
The nine PBA and 17 PBKA high-speed trains that run on the former Thalys routes from Paris to Brussels, Amsterdam and Cologne were also constructed by Alstom; the current order is expected to replace these Alstom trains.
Since March 2020, the company’s trains have not stopped at Ashford or Ebbsfleet. The operator said this was a result of the effects of the coronavirus outbreak and Brexit. Eurostar had previously said its services may not stop in Kent again until this year, but recently updated travellers that it will remain closed for the rest of 2025.
A statement from Eurostar reads: “Our Kent stations will remain closed throughout 2025 and will be reviewed in 2026.
“We understand that this may be frustrating, and we want to stress that we are closely monitoring the situation and, should there be any changes, we will provide an update. We recognise the importance of these stations to the local communities, and we remain fully committed to the future of rail connectivity and continue to work transparently with local councils and stakeholders.”
Trains had frequently stopped at Ashford International and Ebbsfleet terminals on journeys to Europe. So where does it stop now?
Where does Eurostar stop?
Eurostar stops at 28 stations across Europe.
France has the most stops with Paris Gare du Nord, Lille Europe and Marne-la-Vallée/Chessy (Disneyland Paris). Trains also stop in the French Alps (Chambéry, Albertville, Moûtiers, Aime-La-Plagne, Landry and Bourg-Saint-Maurice) – but during the winter only. There are also stops in the south of France every Saturday throughout the summer at Marseille, Avignon, Aix-en-Provence and Valence.
Belgium’s three stops are Brussels-Midi/Zuid, Antwerp and Liège.
Germany’s three stops are at Cologne, Aachen and Düsseldorf.
In terms of The Netherlands, which has two stops – Amsterdam Centraal and Rotterdam Centraal – Eurostar is bringing its direct train service from these stations to London temporarily between February 10 and March 29, 2025.
They’ll then take a break due to essential works at Amsterdam Centraal and restart again at the end of April.
Established in 1994, Eurostar introduced high-speed train services between London, Paris and Brussels through the Channel Tunnel.
He first proposed the idea while serving as a councillor in the 1980s.
Is there a service similar to Eurostar?
Currently, Eurostar has no direct rival on the same Channel Tunnel routes.
However, a number of companies, including Virgin Group and Evolyn, have expressed interest in running cross-Channel train services, thus Eurostar may face competition in the upcoming years.
