Eurostar has revealed its future plans, which will follow the completion of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in 2007, to its key travel partners from the UK travel trade. Plans include an onboard wi-fi service which is on track to be launched next year, following the increase in demand to stay connected by business travellers.  Eurostar announced that from 2007 its trains will run on a dedicated high-speed line into a new London terminal called St Pancras International.  No final decision has yet been made about whether Eurostar will solely serve St Pancras or use the new terminal alongside Waterloo International, the existing Eurostar London terminal.

Two other new Eurostar stations will also open on the high-speed line - Stratford International and Dartford International - they will join the Eurostar station in Kent: Ashford International.

The completion of the high-speed line will enable Eurostar to further reduce its fastest city-centre to city-centre journey times:

—In 2007 the fastest London-Brussels journey will be 1 hour 53 minutes

—In 2007 the fastest London-Paris journey will be 2 hours 15 minutes.

Eurostar also gave a live demonstration of the onboard wi-fi service that will be introduced on all Eurostar trains next year.  Intel, a leader in mobile technology, demonstrated the technology to the attendees.

Paul Charles, Eurostar’s Director of Communications, said: “This is a tremendously exciting day for Eurostar.  We are delighted to be able to give our key travel partners the opportunity to be first to hear about our 2007 journey times and the first to hear about our planned onboard product changes.”
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