While Eurostar will increase its high -speed trains fleet and destinations, and competition in the channel tunnel prepares its arrival (still distant), the railway company estimates that the London Station of Saint Pancras is today under dimensioning.
A recent study establishes that the demand should triple by 2040, approving the number of passengers of 11 to 35 million per year.
The operator, a subsidiary of 55% of SNCF Voyages Development, and the station manager (London St. Pancras High Speed) signed a letter of intention to “take significant measures to increase the capacity of the station.” The objective, go “short term” to 2,700 passengers per hour against 1,800 in 2024.
Currently, the station sees 45,000 customers per day of pass.
“The Hawkins \ Brown architecture firm has been designated to carry out a detailed design and feasibility study. This study will allow companies to evaluate how the station can be reinvented to accommodate more travelers and operate more efficiently,” said a press release.
First it will be a matter of studying possible short -term improvements, “such as optimization of security processes and cross transmission step, to increase the number of passengers by 2,700 per hour during the next three or four years.”
The idea is to rethink the international zone and its connection with the main hall, to facilitate the flow of passengers and customer experience. The completion of the work is scheduled for 2028.
Respect the inheritance of St pancras
“In the 2030s, a new examination of the long -term possibilities to stimulate growth and increase capacity.
This time, 5,000 travelers per hour are attacked.
These changes reach the demand for sustainable trips to Europe continues to increase. Eurostar also announced new London destinations, such as Geneva and Frankfurt, to respond to the growing desire to travel further on the high -speed train.
“While we plan to expand our fleet since the early 2030s and intensify our services to France, Belgium, the Netherlands and now Germany and Switzerland, this project will play an essential role to allow this growth and continue offering a unique and failed customer experience.”
Source: BFM TV
