The transport ministers of the UK and Germany agreed to launch a joint taskforce targeted at getting trains running between the two countries.
Meeting in Hamburg on Wednesday, UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander and her German counterpart Patrick Schnieder agreed to tackle the numerous operational, regulatory, and economic challenges that have derailed past attempts to launch direct passenger services between the two countries – a dream rail enthusiasts feared was a train long departed, hopes having risen and fallen repeatedly over the past 15 years.
During the meeting, Schnieder said both London and Berlin “are committed” to enabling trains to cross the Channel in the coming years. “A continuous connection would greatly simplify travel and significantly increase the appeal of train journeys,” he said.
Past efforts to get direct trains between London and Frankfurt have collapsed because of various challenges – from safety rules around access to the Channel Tunnel, to problems with passport controls on inbound services into the UK and trouble building security zones at major train stations across continental Europe.
In 2010, Deutsche Bahn showcased its white-red ICE train at London St Pancras, aiming to start a London–Cologne–Frankfurt services by 2013. The state railway secured a Channel Tunnel operating certificate but shelved the plan in 2018, citing economic trouble.
Currently, no direct Germany–UK passenger trains operate. Eurostar – a subsidiary of France’s SNCF and the Channel Tunnel’s passenger monopoly – wants to introduce services from Frankfurt and Geneva by the early 2030s.
The company intends to buy up to 50 new trains and grow annual passenger numbers from 19.5 million in 2024 to 30 million.
(jp)