PLANS for Eurostar trains to stop at another UK station have been brought forward again – after previously being scrapped.
Brits heading to Europe via the international train service can currently only board from London St Pancras station in the UK.
Plans for Eurostar to stop at Stratford International station were previously scrapped[/caption]
However the high-speed train service – that then goes on to France, Belgium and the Netherlands – could potentially stop at Stratford International station as part of a proposal.
Currently, Stratford International only offers journeys to UK train stations.
This includes London St Pancras International and Kings Cross, as well as services in Kent including Margate, Canterbury West and Ashford International.
It opened back in 2009 where there was already a Stratford Station, giving it the name Stratford International.
The name was given due to plans to connect passengers to Eurostar trains to Paris.
But the plans never came to fruition, even though Eurostar trains pass through Stratford International station every time they head to and depart from the UK.
It wasn’t made clear at the time why the plans were dropped, but it’s believed part of the reason was Eurostar was unconvinced stopping just seven minutes away from St Pancras was worth it.
The plans for Stratford to finally have international rail links were announced by Sir Stephen Timms, MP for East Ham, in his proposals for the area.
Timms said the case is growing for such a development due to how crowded St Pancras station can get at peak times.
He also hopes more people will travel by train to Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam rather than flying, reducing the impact on climate change.
While the platforms are ready, new immigration posts would need to be set up at the Stratford station, which would be required to serve international passengers.
So it would be less about the cost of building it and more about the cost of running the operation and paying immigration staff.
The Department for Transport has said the decision is up to Eurostar, as the international operator.
Eurostar journeys previously stopped at Ashford International and Ebbsfeleet International in Kent.
But both stations have been closed since March 2020.
Eurostar cited financial factors as the reason for their closure, as well as the post-Brexit border situation.
The pandemic caused significant financial losses for Eurostar, and travel restrictions reduced passenger numbers to less than 1 percent of pre-pandemic levels.
If the international rail operator does agree to the proposal, there may be questions over why it’s stopping at two London stations rather than one of the other stations in Kent.
Ongoing maintenance works could see also the direct London to Amsterdam route scrapped for the entirety of 2025.
Sun Travel’s favourite train journeys in the world
Sun Travel’s journalists have taken their fare share of train journeys on their travels and here they share their most memorable rail experiences.
Davos to Geneva, Switzerland
“After a ski holiday in Davos, I took the scenic train back to Geneva Airport. The snow-covered mountains and tiny alpine villages that we passed were so beautiful that it felt like a moving picture was playing beyond the glass.” – Caroline McGuire
Tokyo to Kyoto by Shinkansen
“Nothing quite beats the Shinkansen bullet train, one of the fastest in the world. It hardly feels like you’re whizzing along at speed until you look outside and see the trees a green blur. Make sure to book seat D or E too – as you’ll have the best view of Mount Fuji along the way.” Kara Godfrey
London to Paris by Eurostar
“Those who have never travelled on the Eurostar may wonder what’s so special about a seemingly ordinary train that takes you across the channel. You won’t have to waste a moment and can tick off all the top attractions from the Louvre to the Champs-Élysées which are both less than five kilometres from the Gare du Nord.” – Sophie Swietochowski
Glasgow to Fort William by Scotrail
“From mountain landscapes and serene lochs to the wistful moors, I spent my three-hour journey from Glasgow to Fort William gazing out the window. Sit on the left-hand side of the train for the best views overlooking Loch Lomond.” – Hope Brotherton
Beijing to Ulaanbatar
“The Trans-Mongolian Express is truly a train journey like no other. It starts amid the chaos of central Beijing before the city’s high-rises give way to crumbling ancient villages and eventually the vast vacant plains of Mongolia, via the Gobi desert. The deep orange sunset seen in the middle of the desert is among the best I’ve witnessed anywhere.” – Ryan Gray
A number of the direct routes have already been suspended since June 15, due to renovations at Amsterdam’s main train station.
The UK to Disneyland direct service – which launched in 1996 – has also been scrapped, with Brits now having to change at Lille or Paris.
Eurostar hasn’t stopped at Ashford International in Kent since March 2020[/caption]
