Once upon a time, before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, the Eurostar between London and Europe would stop off in Kent. Back then, it was quicker for Kent locals to travel to Paris than to places like Bristol or Cardiff. You could easily be in the French capital in time for brunch then be back in Kent for a pub dinner before the sun goes down.
But Eurostar stopped calling at Ebbsfleet and Ashford International stations in 2020 and have never resumed. But southeasterners could enjoy convenient links to the continent once again by 2029.
Uber and rail operator Gemini Trains recently revealed that they were teaming up to launch a rival to Eurostar within the next four years. And they’ve said that their trains will be stopping at Ebbsfleet.
The companies have ambitions to launch international rail services from Stratford in east London, with Gemini planning to buy 10 new trains especially. The deal would work in a similar way to the partnership between Uber and the London Thames Clipper boats, with tickets offered through the travel app but operations run by Gemini.
Of its intention to pick up and drop off passengers from Ebbsfleet, Adrian Quine, CEO of Gemini, told BBC Radio Kent: ‘It’s very important because Eurostar no longer stop in Kent and there’s eight million people who live in the south-east of England, outside the M25, for whom having a direct service to the continent is extremely important.
‘Ebbsfleet is a perfect station. It’s designed for international traffic, it’s got a massive car park, it’s very well connected via the road network and it’s connected to the rest of Kent via the HS1 service.’
‘We're proposing every train stops there.’
Plus: Everything you need to know about the double-decker trains that could soon run between the UK and Europe.
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