Eurostar to launch contactless fast-track service from St Pancras
Eurostar announced this morning the launch of a contactless fast-track service operating from London St Pancras station.
Developed alongside biometric technology manufacturer iProov, the service allows business travellers and loyalty card holders to complete ticket verification and UK exit checks on their phone before departure.
Using iProov’s biometric technology, passengers can pass through smart gates, where they are not required to show documents to authorities.
“Face biometric technology, which we start trialling today, is a fast and contactless solution which will enable secure passenger checks to take place more efficiently and provide a seamless start to the Eurostar customer journey,” said Eurostar’s strategy director Gareth Williams.
The fast-track service was developed through the 2020 First of a Kind competition, which allocates funding to drive innovation in railway.
“Our investment into the First of a Kind competition, supporting ingenious inventions on our rail network, is driving real-world innovations as we build the railway of tomorrow,” said transport secretary Grant Shapps. “The brand new contactless travel technology from iProov and Eurostar is a window into the future of border control, of smoother, more seamless and convenient journeys.”
In 2020, around £9.4m were made available by the Department for Transport (DfT), after partnering with the UK Government’s innovation agency Innovate UK.