Plot to rival Eurostar - FT28 Jul 2023 12:55
FT Article
A group of companies including the UK coach and train service company Mobico has held detailed talks over launching a cross-Channel train service to rival Eurostar.
Other parties involved in the discussions include the Spanish Cosmen industrialist family, which is an investor in Mobico, formerly known as National Express, according to two people with knowledge of the plans.
The new rail service between London and Paris through the Channel Tunnel would start running as early as 2025, they said, although final details have yet to be finalised and could change. The consortium had held discussions with other investors over funding, they added.
The initiative would represent the first challenge to Eurostar’s current monopoly of passenger rail traffic linking London to major cities in Europe including Brussels and Paris.