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Rail Regulator Approves Eurostar Rival for UK-Continent Routes
The approval clears a key regulatory hurdle, but Virgin still needs safety sign-off and network access before launching services, officials said.
- On Monday, the Office of Rail and Road granted Virgin Trains track access to run up to 20 daily return services between London, Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam from October 1, 2030, through 2040.
- Eurostar has held a passenger monopoly through the Channel Tunnel since 1994; Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin, previously pledged to "end this 30-year monopoly" and bring competition to the route.
- Despite approval, Virgin must still procure rolling stock and obtain safety approvals from British and European Union authorities, with the ORR noting there is "still more work to do."
- Uncertainty surrounds funding for upgrades at Ashford International and Ebbsfleet, as Virgin has stated it does not want to pay for improvements, while Trenitalia and Gemini Trains are planning competing services.
- The Channel Tunnel operates at about 50 percent capacity, and with Eurostar transporting a record 20 million passengers last year, competition from multiple new operators positions the market for significant growth.
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(London=Yonhap News) Correspondent Kim Ji-yeon = Virgin Trains, a subsidiary of the British Virgin Group, is one step closer to operating a railway through the English Channel undersea tunnel connecting the UK and the European continent...
·Seoul, Korea (the Republic of)
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Virgin receives track access to launch Eurostar rival in 2030
British group Virgin received high-speed rail access through the Channel Tunnel, an element needed to launch a rival service to Eurostar, which has held a monopoly on passenger services through the tunnel since 1994.
·Paris, France
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The UK Railway and Road Office (ORR) has given the green light...
·Spain
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources54
Leaning Left6Leaning Right6Center17Last UpdatedBias Distribution58% Center
Bias Distribution
- 58% of the sources are Center
58% Center
L 21%
C 58%
R 21%
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