Eurostar has finalised a €2bn (£1.7bn) deal to introduce double-decker trains on its Channel Tunnel service.
The new trains, built by Alstom Group, are expected to be delivered by 2031 and will form part of the service’s expansion to Frankfurt and Geneva.
Eurostar, which has dubbed the new fleet Celestia, has confirmed an initial order for 30 trains with an option for a further 20 if required.
In addition to the new destinations, the 200-metre trains will be interoperable across all five countries already served today.
Seat capacity will increase by 20% on each new train, subject to final design specifications. It is expected that each 200-metre set will have around 540 seats. If running in 400m formation (as through the Channel Tunnel today), there would be around 1,080 seats per service.
The first trains are due to join the fleet in January 2031, but commercial services won’t launch until May 2031.
Eurostar has had exclusive use of the Channel Tunnel up to now, but the service is facing...