Whether you’re more inclined toward the nostalgia-inducing slow travel of a luxury sleeper car or the futuristic transport of high-speed rail, there’s never been a better time to travel by train—whatever your preferred pace.
In the latest evidence that we are in the midst of the next golden era of train travel, rail operator Eurostar has just purchased a fleet of brand-new double-decker trains, which will allow the company to increase daily trip frequencies and expand to new destinations across Europe.
Eurostar has ordered 30 trains from rail manufacturer Alstom Group with the option to purchase 20 more as part of a $2.3 billion deal announced on Wednesday, October 22. The first of the new trains, called the Celestia, are scheduled to begin operations in May 2031.
“Customers can expect a very special new train with Eurostar Celestia, which will offer exceptional comfort, a unique Eurostar experience and new surprises to be revealed,” Eurostar CEO’s Gwendoline Cazenave said in a statement. “We’re particularly proud to bring double-decker trains to the UK for the very first time.”
Eurostar currently operates high-speed rail service between cities like London, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, and Dortmund via the Channel Tunnel, an underwater railway that runs beneath the English Channel, connecting the United Kingdom to the rest of mainland Europe.
The 650-foot trains will operate on Eurostar’s existing routes throughout the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, in addition to serving new destinations such as Geneva and Frankfurt. With the new fleet, Eurostar will also be able to add three more daily trips from the UK to Paris and increase its Amsterdam service from four to seven trips per day, Cazenave told The Independent.
