More passengers for Eurostar

10 January 2008 – The rail service that connects Brussels and Paris with London attracted 5% more passengers last year.

For the first time ever passenger numbers exceeded 8 million in 2007.

Eurostar ticket sales rose by 15% last year.

Eurostar says that the improved figures are due to the shorter journey times on the English side of the Channel.

There a new high speed rail link was taken into service.

The surge in ticket sales was also concentrated in the last few months of the year when the new high speed link became operational.

Eurostar maintains that punctuality has also improved.

Eurostar boss Richard Brown believes 10 million passengers will use the service in 2010.

In that year other operators will also be able to use the Channel Tunnel, but Mr Brown is not concerned.

Eurostar is now examining co-operation with Deutsche Bahn with a view to a new link to western Germany.