Train company Evolyn announced on Wednesday the purchase of 12 trains from French manufacturer Alstom for a new high-speed line from Paris to London in competition with Eurostar.
"This would be the first time, after 30 years of Eurostar's monopoly, that a competitor has entered the market," said an Evolyn spokesperson.
Alstom, the maker of France's iconic TGV trains, has recently found itself in financial straits, with shares having plummeted after a slowdown in orders, Reuters reports. A spokesperson from the company confirmed to be in discussions with Evolyn.
Evolyn, run by a Spanish family, is backed by French and British industrial and financial partners, including British transport operator Mobico, formerly the National Express.
The order could be extended to 16 trains. These are due to start operating in 2025 and with the full fleet of trains to be fully operational in 2026. The project has an investment of £1 billion (around €1.16 billion).
The concessionaire of the Paris-London railway line HS1 Ltd told the Railway Gazette that they are delighted there has been an application for a second international operator on the HS1 line. "We have always believed that additional operators will benefit passengers through increased competition... and will give people greater opportunity to choose a more sustainable way than flying to travel to the Continent."
Since the launch of the undersea rail link via the Channel Tunnel in 1994, several companies have already announced their intention to compete with Eurostar, including Deutsche Bahn. So far, however, no real alternative had emerged.
As things stand, the new line is currently not believed to be extended to Brussels.
