Tickets go on sale for Eurostar’s new St Pancras service

Eurostar, the high speed passenger train operator that links the UK and the Continent, has today put on sale seats on the very first services from St Pancras International, for travel at 186 mph on the UK’s newly completed high-speed line – High Speed 1.

The first trains from Eurostar’s new London home will run on the morning of Wednesday 14 November. Eurostar will be the first train operator in the world to provide ‘carbon neutral’ journeys for all its travellers, at no extra charge.

From today, travellers can also buy tickets for the final trains from Waterloo International, the original London terminal since Eurostar services began in 1994. Eurostar services to and from Waterloo International will end on Tuesday 13 November.

Tickets for both the first trains from St Pancras and last trains from Waterloo are on sale from 09.00 BST in the UK (10.00 CET on the Continent). Seats are being offered at the normal prices and start from £59 return to Paris or Brussels. Travellers can book via Eurostar.com, at Eurostar stations or by contacting their travel agent.

The final services from Waterloo International will run on the evening of Tuesday 13 November. In what is an unprecedented move, Eurostar will switch its London terminal overnight to begin services from the newly restored and stunning St Pancras International station the following morning.

Eurostar’s move to St Pancras International from Waterloo will open up high-speed rail services to millions of people across Britain. International travellers will be able to connect with seven mainline train operators at St Pancras, King’s Cross and nearby Euston, and with six London Underground lines.

Tickets are also on sale for the first trains from Ebbsfleet International, Eurostar’s new station just off junction 2 of the M25 near the Dartford crossing and Bluewater shopping centre in north Kent.

Ebbsfleet will open on Monday 19 November, offering seven trains a day to Paris and five to Brussels. The new station is expected to attract both current users of Waterloo International who live south of London, and passengers who currently fly from London’s congested airports.

With two stations in Kent, the number of trains serving the county will increase by 33% - from 12 to 16 a day. Ashford International will continue to have services to Paris, Lille, Disneyland Resort Paris, Avignon and the French Alps.

Travellers who go by Eurostar are making an environmentally responsible choice. Independent research has demonstrated that a Eurostar journey generates ten times less carbon dioxide than flying. And under its Tread Lightly initiative, Eurostar has set a target of further reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 25% per passenger journey by 2012, and will offset emissions that it cannot eliminate at its own expense.

Richard Brown, Chief Executive of Eurostar, said: “We know that thousands of travellers want to be on the first trains on High Speed 1. We are expecting heavy demand from customers keen to enjoy even faster, shorter journeys to the Continent, and who want to see the stunning restoration of St Pancras International station.

“I’m sure that many people will also want to travel on the final Eurostar services from Waterloo, joining us in saying ‘goodbye’ to our old London home."

To book tickets for Eurostar, or to find out more information, go to Eurostar.com, or contact your travel agent.