Ever since the Channel Tunnel opened for business in 1994, Eurostar has dominated the rails. On 14 November 1994, the first cross-border train set off from Waterloo International Station (with services later moving to St Pancras), marking a milestone in the future of rail travel.
However, Eurostar’s monopoly looks set to end in the coming years, with a host of competitors looking to get in on the act.
The latest competitor to throw its hat in the ring, according to a recent news report from the International Railway Journal, is Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS Group). Italian State Railways has reportedly awarded a contract to Hitachi Rail for 19 high-speed trains to expand services and introduce a new cross-border service via the Channel Tunnel between Paris and London in 2029.
The deal, totalling around €2 billion (around £ 1.7 billion), will see the operator increase service frequencies on routes such as Paris to Lyon and Paris to Marseille, in addition to the London and Paris connections.
The new and improved trains will expand services between Paris and destinations such as Marseille (pictured)
Getty Images
Gianpiero Strisciuglio, CEO and general manager of FS, said, “The new trains and the new Maisons-Alfort Pompadour maintenance hub are fundamental elements for the launch of the Paris-London connection, a project that is central to our vision of the ‘Metro of Europe’, an integrated high-speed network that will increasingly connect Europe’s major cities.”
Reports suggest the new trains will offer ‘next-generation’ internet connectivity of up to 10GB/second, a bistro concept and sleek, comfortable interior design.
However, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane isn’t the only operator set to compete with Eurostar’s services in the coming years. In November 2025, we reported on Virgin Trains’ earlier promise to “end the Eurostar monopoly” as Sir Richard Branson’s group sought £700m in investment.
Branson said in Virgin’s statement, “Virgin is no stranger to delivering award-winning rail services, and just as we have successfully challenged incumbents in air, cruise and rail, we’re ready to do it again. We’re going to shake up the cross-Channel route for good and give consumers the choice they deserve.”