Gemini Trains has announced plans to run services between London and Cologne by 2030.
The British start-up will challenge Eurostar’s long-standing dominance of cross-Channel rail travel.
The London-Cologne journey will take about four hours. Currently, the same trip can take up to six hours with at least one change.
Gemini plans to make Stratford International its main London hub rather than St Pancras station, which is already struggling to manage passenger traffic, according to Euronews. The operator also plans to run services to Paris and Brussels.
High-speed train to connect Belgium, France, and Switzerland
A new high-speed train is expected to connect Belgium, France and Switzerland by July next year.
Rail operators SNCB, SNCF Voyageurs and Swiss Federal Railways will join forces to extend the existing TGV INOUI service between Brussels and Strasbourg to Basel.
The service will initially operate as a trial, with one return journey every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, departing Brussels at around 07h00.
The train will call at Lille-Europe, Charles de Gaulle Airport, Champagne-Ardenne, Meuse, Lorraine and Strasbourg-Ville before arriving at Basel around midday. The return service will leave Basel in the afternoon and arrive back in Brussels shortly before 19h00.
Gatwick adds new morning trains
New early-morning weekend train services to and from Gatwick Airport are being trialled to improve early and late flight connections to and from London.
Gatwick Express has added two new services, departing London Victoria at 03h40 on Saturdays and Gatwick Airport at 04h35 on Mondays.
The company has also launched fast-track airport security and discounted airport lounges for Gatwick Express customers.
