BELGIUM / UK: Eurostar makes it maiden high speed journey to and from St Pancras in London

Record ID: 625115

  • Title: BELGIUM / UK: Eurostar makes it maiden high speed journey to and from St Pancras in London
  • Date: 15th November 2007
  • Summary: (EU) LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (NOVEMBER 14, 2007) (REUTERS) SOUNDBITE (English) RICHARD BROWN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF EUROSTAR, SAYING: "This is a hugely exciting day for us here at Eurostar, we have been preparing to move for three years. But more importantly this is a really exciting day I think for Britain because finally Britain joins Europe's high speed rail club - joined directly to the European high speed network." ST PANCRAS STATION SOUNDBITE (English) RICHARD BROWN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF EUROSTAR, SAYING: "High speed rail undoubtedly is the future of short haul travel, already in Europe high speed lines have displaced a lot of domestic and short haul airlines. Now, between London and Paris and London and Brussels, we're undoubtably the quickest and greenest and the most reliable way of travelling. But the great news about St. Pancras is that it is much more accessable to the rest of Britain, so people north of London, right across Britain can now access Eurostar much more easily and effectively open up short haul high speed rail travel to the whole population." EUROSTAR LOGO ON SIDE OF TRAIN EUROSTAR IN ST PANCRAS
  • Embargoed: 30th November 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVA9M77B6RFO3FL0FS6PR9YQ4752
  • Story Text: Goodbye London, bonjour Paris! The Eurostar's new superfast St Pancras service, which launched on Wednesday (November 14) looks set to give rise to a new breed of Eurocommuter.
    The high-speed rail line, launched on Wednesday, promises to cut most Eurostar journeys by 20 minutes, making the French capital a quick 2-1/2 hour train ride away.
    People like Dave Farrow who was on the journey from Brussels to St Pancras are exactly the type expected to be loyal to Eurostar.
    "You can relax greater. It's far easier. You can get up, walk around. Go to the bar, etc. So it's far more convenient and the days of air travel, sitting at airports, this, that and the other, well I prefer this.
    It's alot more comfortable," said Farrow.
    But Eurostar will be aiming at more than travellers on holiday or short breaks. They will have a major eye on potential commuters to and from mainland Europe to Britain.
    "Now, between London and Paris and London and Brussels, we're undoubtably the quickest, and greenest and the most reliable way of travelling. But the great news about St. Pancras is that it is much more accessable to the rest of Britain, so people north of London, right across Britain can now access Eurostar much more easily and effectively open up short haul high speed rail travel to the whole population," said Richard Brown, chief executive of Eurostar.
    France has long been a top destination for Britons buying homes abroad.
    It is second only to Spain as the most popular choice, according to research group Mintel.
    The new link is not only expected to cement that position, but also make living in France, while working in the UK, a more realistic proposition.
    Some 20 percent of people moving to France plan to commute back to Britain for work, and a total 1.5 million people will work in Britain while living in another country by 2020, according to think-tank Future Forum.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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