Eurostar is celebrating its 20th anniversary in style with the unveiling of its new e320 train. The brand has served 150 million customers over the years, with continued year-on-year growth that has spurred expansion and new routes, providing seamless links between the UK and mainland Europe.
The new state-of-the-art e320 trains (which get their name from the ability to reach a speed of 320 km/h) is scheduled to enter commercial service at the end of 2015, and a further seven of the e320 trains have also been ordered on top of the original 10, increasing the number of new trains to 17 in total.
Beyond its core routes of Paris, Brussels and Lille, Eurostar serves a range of destinations including the French Alps, Swiss Alps and Geneva. May 2015 will see the start of a new year-round direct service to Provence, stopping at Lyon, Avignon and Marseille, followed at the end of 2016 by the launch of a direct route to Amsterdam with stops in Antwerp, Rotterdam and Schiphol along the way.
Nicolas Petrovic, Chief Executive of Eurostar, said, “Having had ten consecutive years of growth, we are seeing record demand for our services … With just one year to go until our new e320 train comes into service, passengers will see a complete transformation … The combination of bold design, chic interiors and Wi-Fi connectivity will raise the bar, providing an unprecedented level of style and comfort for our customers.”
To mark its two decades of service, over the next two weeks, Eurostar will be staging a programme of celebratory activities on board its trains and in its stations. This includes surprise golden tickets, giveaways and special events for customers as well as a dedicated birthday promotion running between 13 and 24 November.