Eurostar announces new direct trains to Switzerland and Germany

Eurostar maps out its next stops, in Switzerland and Germany, as it announces plans to launch direct train services to Geneva and Frankfurt from London St Pancras by the early 2030s. Eurostar said it will require a fleet of up to 50 new trains, which will cost €2 billion (£1.7 billion). The journey between London and Frankfurt will be about five hours, while Geneva will be around five hours and 20 minutes.

Geneva is known as a centre for the finer things in life, from exceptional timepieces (the city hosts the annual Watches and Wonders fair) to luxury chocolates. Frankfurt, meanwhile, is Europe's bustling financial hub, and also home to some of the design world's major trade fairs, such as Heimtextil and Ambiente.

Discover the new direct Eurostar routes

Gwendoline Cazenave, Eurostar’s chief executive, said passengers are prepared to take longer train journeys rather than fly, as they want to travel more sustainably. Describing Frankfurt and Geneva as ‘big financial hubs’, Cazenave predicts a high demand from leisure and business travellers for direct services to these destinations.

Finer details such as deciding what stops the services will make and whether passengers are able to get on and off en route are yet to be determined. Granted, there are a number of hurdles Eurostar has to overcome before these services can be launched, including passenger space at the stations, and new border checkpoints, for example.

The announcement follows the reopening of Eurostar’s direct route to Amsterdam earlier this year (Wallpaper* took the opportunity to revisit some longstanding favourite spots in the Dutch capital).

Eurostar has also been busy upgrading its Premier services. In the past year, it has revamped onboard dining for Premier customers, and unveiled redesigned branded lounges in Brussels and Paris, available for Premier passengers travelling on continental routes, as well as Carte Blanche and Carte Étoile loyalty members.