If you want to move from Germany to London by train, you have to change at least once. That could change in the future. The train has been interested in such a connection for years.
According to information from the English newspaper Times, the plans for direct connections between London and Cologne or Frankfurt become more specific. So far, train travelers from Germany have had to switch to London in Belgium, France or the Netherlands.
The background to the confidence is the signing of a new cooperation agreement between the operators of the Eurotunnel and the British high -speed route.
Shorter travel times targeted
The agreement of the Eurotunnel under the English Channel is to be used better by the agreement, according to the two parties in a press release. You also want to work on closer time and shorter travel times.
So far there is only one railway group that brings travelers from mainland European mainland to England: the British-French company Eurostar.
London station is to be massively expanded
The prerequisite for the expansion of the route network to London is the expansion of the London train station St. Pancras International. The operator of the London train station has plans to triple passenger capacities – from currently around 1,800 travelers per hour to 5,000. According to Times, the new railway company should attract – which should compete with Eurostar.
Deutsche Bahn has been interested in such a connection for years: “The traffic between London and the mainland through the Eurotunnel are unabated for Deutsche Bahn,” said a DB spokesman for the dpa news agency in mid-January.
First of all it means: wait
The international long -distance traffic of the DB wise high growth rates and also in traffic to Great Britain, the trend is clearly on the environmentally friendly rail.
However: until it comes and the first trains roll to the new goals, a few more years should pass. Observers do not expect new connections before 2030. In addition to the renovation of the station, potential operators first need permits and suitable trains for the trip through the Eurotunnel.
With information from Gabi Biesinger, London
