The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has announced that on 13 August it decided to pre-approve a new framework track access agreement between HS1 Limited (trading as London St. Pancras Highspeed) and VTE OPCO Limited (Virgin Trains).
The agreement will allow Virgin Trains to operate up to 20 new daily return services between London and Paris, Brussels, or Amsterdam from 1 October 2030 to 31 December 2040.
The agreement is a significant step forward in bringing competition to the market for international rail services, supporting economic growth and providing significant benefits for passengers travelling between London and continental Europe.
Virgin Trains and London St Pancras High Speed may now enter into the agreement by 4 September 2026.
There are a number of steps before the new services will be able to run. Virgin Trains must also procure rolling stock, secure access to other rail networks, and obtain safety approvals from ORR and the relevant authorities in the EU. Virgin Trains plans to begin running services in 2030.
Martin Jones, deputy director, access & international at ORR, said: “This is an important next step in bringing competition and growth to the market for international rail services, and we welcome the progress Virgin Trains and London St Pancras High Speed have made. While there is still more work to do, we are supporting Virgin and the wider industry to grow international services.”
Image credit: Eurostar
