Deutsche Bahn and Eurostar join forces on new rail connections
Deutsche Bahn and Eurostar have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on new direct rail services between London and major German cities, such as Cologne and Frankfurt. This was announced by the two rail operators in a press release.
Eurostar, which is partly owned by the Belgian rail operator SNCB, announced in June that it intended to launch services between London and Frankfurt from 2030. It will now collaborate with Germany’s national railway company, Deutsche Bahn, to achieve this goal.
While both companies recognise the strong potential, they acknowledge that several technical, operational and legal hurdles still need to be addressed.
The project has political backing. "We are already working intensively on the legal, infrastructural and political requirements for the new rail link in a working group set up specifically for this project," said German Transport minister Patrick Schnieder. His British counterpart, Heidi Alexander, added that the connection would create jobs, boost trade and facilitate more environmentally friendly international travel.
Eurostar and Deutsche Bahn currently operate in competition with one another on the high-speed line between Brussels and Cologne (via ICE services).
© Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
Related News
