German rail operate Deutsche Bahn has confirmed it will launch services through the Channel Tunnel in 2013.

Initially the operator will offer departures between London St Pancras International and Brussels, with a view to expanding to Amsterdam (via Rotterdam), Cologne and Frankfurt.

DB will use its newly built ICE 3 (class 407) for the service.

The train operator argues this will reduce the travel time from London to Cologne and Amsterdam to less than four hours and to Frankfurt to just over five.

DB submitted an application in July for fundamental approval for its ICE trains to use the Channel Tunnel the Intergovernmental Commission (IGC), the safety authority responsible for this.

Deutsche Bahn had previously outlined its plans following a series of safety tests earlier this year.