Virgin Trains (VTE Holdings) has agreed with Alstom to supply 12 high-speed trains on the new Avelia Stream platform for its proposed cross-Channel services from 2030.
These 200-metre-long, single-deck trains with tilting technology will be certified for operation in the UK, the Channel Tunnel, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Virgin plans to initially operate 20 daily return services from London: 13 to Paris, 4 to Brussels and 3 to Amsterdam, with a staggered launch plan to implement the full schedule six months after the start.
The operator is competing for access to the Temple Mills international maintenance depot in East London, the only place in the UK capable of servicing these trains, and has adjusted its maintenance needs to optimise times and track usage. Entry to the depot is scheduled for the second quarter of 2028, delayed by the postponement of the train order.
The total estimated investment is £700 million, split between the operator and an asset-holding company. Virgin Group will retain 50% of the operator, and the other half will be owned by two partners. The process to secure final funding is underway with financial close expected by the end of this year.
This project challenges Eurostar’s monopoly on routes connecting Britain to mainland Europe, marking the first significant competition since 1994.