Eurostar rival orders 19 new trains for its London to Europe journeys
Italy’s state-owned railway is winning the race to launch its own London to Paris route by 2029 (Picture: FS Group/ FS Group train)Travelling fromLondontoParisby train is one of the most popular short-haul. . .
Italy’s state-owned railway is winning the race to launch its own London to Paris route by 2029 (Picture: FS Group/ FS Group train)Travelling fromLondontoParisby train is one of the most popular short-haul journeys for Brits. Every year, over 12 million passengers jump on theEurostarfrom St Pancras to Gare du Nord. Which, for the last 30 years, has been the only direct rail route between the two capitals. Until now. Italy’s state-owned railway — Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS Group) — is currently winning the race to launch its own London to Paris route by 2029. And, thanks to a new deal, travellers are now one step closer to boarding the Eurostar rival. Eurostar’s reign could be coming to an end (Picture: Shutterstock / Sergii Figurnyi)Ask MetroUse AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. Through its subsidiary Trenitalia France, the railway has just put in a €2 billion (£1. 7 billion) order with Hitachi Rail for 19 high-speed trains. This new deal all but confirms that FS Group will be the first to compete with the cross-Channel service — just pipping Virgin Trains to the post, who haveplans to launch their own route by 2030. In addition to the supply of the trains, announced on August 7, the agreement also covers the construction of an €80 million (£68 million) maintenance facility at Maisons-Alfort Pompadour near Paris. As for passenger comfort, the new vehicles promise ‘next-generation’ travel. Virgin Trains are also close to launching a London to Paris route (Picture: Shutterstock / Winds)This includes boasting an on-board bistro, an enhanced catering offering, WiFi connectivity, and interiors designed to ‘provide an even more comfortable travel experience across all classes of service. ’Gianpiero Strisciuglio, chief executive and general manager of FS Italiane Group, said the new trains and maintenance hub are ‘fundamental elements’ of the London to Paris service. He added: ‘This order represents a strategic milestone for FS Group: it strengthens our presence in France, a key market for our international growth, and supports the development of increasingly efficient, sustainable and competitive high-speed services. ’Strisciuglio also said that the project is ‘central’ to the group’s vision of the ‘Metro of Europe,’ the ‘integrated high-speed network that will increasingly connect Europe’s major cities. ’Travellers will soon have another London to Paris rail route (Picture: Shutterstock / saiko3p)Meanwhile, Hitachi Rail’s group chief executive officer Giuseppe Marino said the deal will ‘deliver high standards of sustainability, operational efficiency and cross-border interoperability, which are increasingly essential to support the growth of international rail traffic. ’Alongside the alternative Eurostar route, it’s thought FS Group’s newly ordered trains will also be used on Trenitalia France’s existing Paris – Lyon, Paris – Milano and Paris – Marseille services. There’s no denying the rise of the rail renaissance, either. 2026 has seen plenty of new train launches, from across Europe to right here in the UK. In terms of the latter, there’s the ‘Ryanair of trains,’ which allows Londoners toexplore Scotlandfor £50, and thefamous sleeper train launching a new route. There’s alsoa new Eurostar routeconnecting London St. Pancras to Antwerp,Belgium’s ancient port city on the River Scheldt, home to one of theworld’s coolest neighbourhoods. Our Top Shopping PicksParents can save up to 30% on Kickers school shoes ahead of the new termThe back-to-school hack that's helping parents avoid queues and sold-out sizesCould your hair be wavy rather than straight? This brand thinks soCould your star sign improve your skincare routine? This new beauty launch thinks soBest skincare for menopausal skin? This dermatologist-created treatment is tailored to youArrowMORE:Man ‘killed in shooting’ outside packed pub in south LondonArrowMORE:The 5 best places to watch the total solar eclipse on August 12ArrowMORE:I went to Disneyland with a disability — here’s what I think of ‘priority cards’The Getaway ExpertYour exclusive seven-day guide to travelling with confidence from Metro's resident travel expert, Alice Murphy.