Full steam ahead at Eurostar as passengers and revenue rise
Eurostar has announced that both its passenger numbers and sales revenue for the year are up, the 10th consecutive year this has been the case. The rail provider is also adding new routes.
2.8m people used the high-speed service in summer 2014 compared to 2.7m the year before. Sales revenue increased from £207m to £211m, a two per cent rise, the company said yesterday.
Eurostar is set to introduce new trains to mark its 20th anniversary in November. The new e320 trains will reach a speedy 200mph and be capable of carrying 900 passengers. Chief executive of the group Nicolas Petrovic said the new trains would provide customers a new level of comfort as competition increases and people demand more.
The operator also announced it is adding new routes from next year. In December this year customers will be able to buy tickets for its new London to Provence route, stopping at Lyon, Avignon and Marseille. The service will run from May 2015. In 2016 Eurostar will add a service from London to Amsterdam, it confirmed.