Plans for UK-Germany rail link move step closer

Cross-Channel train operator Eurostar and Germany’s state-owned railway company Deutsche Bahn have formed a partnership aimed at introducing direct rail connections between the UK and Germany.

They announced they have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at establishing train services between London and major German cities such as Cologne and Frankfurt.

There is an ambition for services to launch in the early 2030s.

A number of hurdles must be overcome before that happens, such as creating sufficient passenger space at stations, installing new border checkpoints and securing access to tracks.

Services would be run using the new double-decker Celestia fleet ordered by Eurostar, which is expected to be in use from May 2031.

The announcement follows the first meeting of a joint UK-Germany taskforce in Berlin on November 25.

The group brings together transport experts from both countries’ governments and rail industries to examine how to address the barriers to UK-Germany services.

Journey times would be approximately four hours between London and Cologne, and just more than five hours between London and Frankfurt.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “This brings us one step closer to a new rail link that will put Britain at the heart of a better-connected Europe and paves the way for increased trade, tourism and investment.

“From establishing pioneering cross-continent routes to freezing domestic rail fares for the first time in 30 years, transport is just one of the many ways this Government is investing in international relationships to cut the cost of living back home.”

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the partnership between Eurostar and Deutsche Bahn had “the potential to transform cross-border rail travel in Europe for generations to come”.

She said: “A direct rail link will support the creation of jobs, strengthen vital trade links and build a sustainable connection that will make international travel easier and greener.”