Eurostar will face competition on the London to mainland Europe route from 2030, as the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has formally authorised Virgin Trains to launch its services.
Concept image (c) Virgin Trains
The agreement between HS1 Limited and VTE OPCO will allow Virgin Trains to operate up to 20 new daily return services between London and Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam from 1st October 2030.
However, the regulator says several steps must be completed before the new services can run. Virgin Trains must also buy new trains, secure access to other rail networks, and obtain safety approvals from the ORR and the relevant EU authorities. The ORR’s approvals also apply only to the UK end of the service, so Virgin Trains will still need regulatory approval in each country it plans to serve. If all those are granted, then Virgin Trains plans to begin running services in 2030.
Martin Jones, deputy director, access & international, said: “This is an important next step in bringing competition and growth to the market for international rail services, and we welcome the progress Virgin Trains and London St Pancras High Speed have made. While there is still more work to do, we are supporting Virgin and the wider industry to grow international services.”
The ORR’s decision follows its October 2025 approval of Virgin Trains’ application for access to Temple Mills International depot, which Virgin and other prospective operators saw as crucial in allowing them to operate international services. Since that decision, ORR has been supporting Virgin Trains and Eurostar in their work to enter into a contractual agreement for depot access.