Virgin unveils cross-Channel train plan to rival Eurostar from 2030

A rival train on the Channel route

Virgin has unveiled a mock-up of its planned cross-Channel train, with services from London to the continent targeted for 2030. Eurostar faces competition on the tunnel route for the first time since the Channel tunnel opened. Josh Bayliss, chief executive of Virgin Group, said during a Paris visit this week, in which he met transport minister Philippe Tabarot, that the company would run 13 daily round trips between London and Paris, adding 4.75 million seats a year on that route. Virgin also plans four daily round trips from London to Brussels and three to Amsterdam, bringing the total to 20 a day and 7.5 million seats a year across the network. The group has had almost no activity in France since selling its Megastores in 2001.

Approvals and depot access

Virgin has obtained approval from the British rail regulator, the Office of Rail and Road, to run up to 20 daily round trips through the tunnel until 2040, Bayliss said. The regulator published on Thursday an agreement with Eurostar that lets Virgin maintain its trains at the Temple Mills international depot in east London, with UK track access confirmed until at least 2040. According to BFM Business, Virgin has also received authorisation to access the HS1 high-speed line that links London to the tunnel, and it has raised funds. The company previously ran the West Coast main line for more than twenty years until it lost its licence in December 2019.

The Alstom order

Bayliss told the press that Virgin signed a contract with Alstom on 18 September for 12 Avelia Stream trains, which can run at 300 km/h. SudOuest puts the price at 650 million euros, while BFM Business gives a range of 650 to 700 million euros. Virgin's own statement refers only to a strategic agreement for the delivery of 12 trainsets, not a contract, a distinction that matters because a contract would trigger a deposit payment. Andrew DeLeone, president of Alstom's Europe region, said he was particularly enthusiastic about working with Virgin again, although Alstom issued no separate statement. BFM Business noted that Alstom has struggled with delivery timing, including the TGV M for SNCF, which is more than two years late. Bayliss acknowledged that everything is twice as hard in the tunnel, and he set out the delivery pace.

We will receive one train per month starting in 2030.

Trains and service design

The trains will have a single deck, larger windows and more luggage space, Bayliss told BFM Business, and the company hopes to offer Starlink connectivity on board. The rolling stock will be leased to an entity owned 50/50 by Virgin and an Italian investment fund. The design draws on Virgin Atlantic airport lounges, cruise menus and Virgin Hotels, according to The Guardian. Virgin also plans to connect its rail and airline networks, potentially bringing passengers from France onto Virgin Atlantic flights. Bayliss argued that the venture would grow the market as a whole.

We're confident that more journeys between the UK and Europe will be made by train.

Eurostar and Trenitalia

Eurostar is owned by SNCF, Belgium's SNCB and the Caisse des dépôts du Québec, and Le Monde reports that several projects to compete with its trains emerged during 2025. Trenitalia, Italy's state-owned operator, is also expected to launch cross-Channel high-speed services. It already runs international trains as far as Paris and recently announced a 2bn euro order for 19 new Hitachi trains, some of which are expected to be based in France and run through the tunnel to London. Whether Alstom can meet its delivery schedule remains an open question for Virgin's plan. Virgin's first services are planned for 2030.