![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/tmi-news-cover.png?resize=640%2C361&ssl=1\")
A few more important steps<\/h4>\n
However, this is not yet the final go-ahead, and there are still a few steps to take before the first Virgin Train whizzes down the tracks. Virgin Trains and London St. Pancras High Speed must formally finalize the agreement by September 4.<\/p>\n
After that, they must still arrange access to other rail networks \u2013 including access to the Channel Tunnel, which Getlink\/Eurotunnel operates, and the networks on the other side of the Channel \u2013 and obtain approvals from the QQR and the relevant authorities.<\/p>\n
At the same time, Virgin still needs to purchase the appropriate rolling stock. However, Virgin Trains is reportedly already in preliminary talks with the French train manufacturer Alstom about purchasing twelve high-speed trains.<\/p>\n
Italian competitor also on the way<\/h4>\n
Since the opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994, Eurostar has held a monopoly on operating passenger trains through it. The high-speed rail operator is largely owned by the French railway company SNCF, while the Belgian NMBS\/SNCB holds an 18.5% stake.<\/p>\n
The Channel Tunnel is currently operating at only about half its maximum capacity \u2013 400 trains pass through each day, while the maximum is 1,000. In addition to Eurostar trains, LeShuttle trains (which transport cars, trucks, and buses) and freight trains also run through the tunnel between Calais and Folkestone.<\/p>\n
Virgin, the first competitor to make real progress toward providing service, has also indicated that it aims to expand its rail plans over time “in France, Germany, and Switzerland.”<\/p>\n
As well as Virgin, Italy’s FS Italiane Group is planning to run services through the Channel Tunnel from 2029 via its subsidiary, Trenitalia France. But unlike Virgin, it does not yet have access to the British rail infrastructure, although last week, Trenitalia France signed an agreement for nineteen new high-speed trains from Hitachi Rail, which it plans to use on the service.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Legally speaking, the door had been open for some time for the British company Virgin Trains to become a competitor to the high-speed rail operator Eurostar. But with approval from the British rail regulator ORR for rail access on High Speed 1 (HS1) \u2013 or between St. Pancras and the entrance to the Channel Tunnel […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":164,"featured_media":191913,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"{title}\r\n\r\n{excerpt}\r\n\r\n{url}","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[77170,28,7,26,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-191878","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-belgium","category-europe","category-mobility","category-public-transport","category-top-stories-today"],"acf":[],"featured_image_urls_v2":{"full":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Virgin-Trains-scaled.png?fit=2560%2C1600&ssl=1",2560,1600,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Virgin-Trains-scaled.png?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Virgin-Trains-scaled.png?fit=300%2C188&ssl=1",300,188,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Virgin-Trains-scaled.png?fit=640%2C400&ssl=1",640,400,true],"large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Virgin-Trains-scaled.png?fit=640%2C400&ssl=1",640,400,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Virgin-Trains-scaled.png?fit=1536%2C960&ssl=1",1536,960,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Virgin-Trains-scaled.png?fit=2048%2C1280&ssl=1",2048,1280,true],"trp-custom-language-flag":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Virgin-Trains-scaled.png?fit=18%2C12&ssl=1",18,12,true],"related-thumb":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Virgin-Trains-scaled.png?resize=640%2C480&ssl=1",640,480,true],"gform-image-choice-sm":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Virgin-Trains-scaled.png?resize=300%2C300&ssl=1",300,300,true],"gform-image-choice-md":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Virgin-Trains-scaled.png?resize=400%2C400&ssl=1",400,400,true],"gform-image-choice-lg":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Virgin-Trains-scaled.png?resize=600%2C600&ssl=1",600,600,true],"mailchimp":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Virgin-Trains-scaled.png?fit=560%2C350&ssl=1",560,350,true],"unipress-phone":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Virgin-Trains-scaled.png?resize=640%2C100&ssl=1",640,100,true],"unipress-tablet":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Virgin-Trains-scaled.png?resize=1536%2C240&ssl=1",1536,240,true],"unipress-tablet-portrait":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Virgin-Trains-scaled.png?resize=1536%2C180&ssl=1",1536,180,true],"unipress-tablet-landscape":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Virgin-Trains-scaled.png?resize=2048%2C180&ssl=1",2048,180,true],"unipress-smartphone":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Virgin-Trains-scaled.png?resize=1080%2C168&ssl=1",1080,168,true],"unipress-wide-screen":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Virgin-Trains-scaled.png?resize=2560%2C180&ssl=1",2560,180,true]},"post_excerpt_stackable_v2":"
Legally speaking, the door had been open for some time for the British company Virgin Trains to become a competitor to the high-speed rail operator Eurostar. But with approval from the British rail regulator ORR for rail access on High Speed 1 (HS1) \u2013 or between St. Pancras and the entrance to the Channel Tunnel at Folkestone \u2013 another major regulatory hurdle has now been removed. If everything goes according to plan, starting October 1, 2030, businessman Richard Branson’s railroad company will operate 20 new daily round-trip services between London and Paris, Brussels, or Amsterdam. Another piece of the British…<\/p>\n","category_list_v2":"Belgium<\/a>, Europe<\/a>, Mobility<\/a>, Public transport<\/a>, Top Stories Today<\/a>","author_info_v2":{"name":"Luc Joris","url":"https:\/\/newmobility.news\/en\/author\/belga-5\/"},"comments_num_v2":"0 comments","yoast_head":"\n