Eurostar has today celebrated 18 years of cross-channel rail with with a special ceremony at St Pancras International.
The Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin, joined Eurostar chief executive Nicolas Petrovic to mark Eurostar’s birthday.
In 1994, the high-speed passenger railway revolutionised travel between London and mainland Europe.
As well as being Eurostar’s 18th birthday, November 14 also marks both the fifth anniversary of the move from Waterloo International to its new home at St Pancras International and the opening of HS1, the UK’s first high-speed rail line, in 2007.
Commenting on the landmark moment in Eurostar’s history, Patrick McLoughlin said: “This important milestone marks the coming of age of Eurostar and it is testament to its success that we now think nothing of hopping on a train in London and getting off in Paris or Brussels.
“The last five years have also given the UK its first real taste of high-speed rail. From the splendour of the redesigned St Pancras to the mouth of the channel tunnel itself, HS1 shows what a difference such projects can make. That is why I am determined to press ahead with HS2 – a network that will build on the success of HS1 to deliver jobs, growth and much-needed extra rail capacity.”
Nicolas Petrovic, Eurostar chief executive, said: “This is a very special day in our history and we’re proud to have changed the way people think about travelling between the UK and the Continent.
“We have our eyes firmly set on the future and with many exciting projects in the pipeline our customers can look forward to the next chapter in Eurostar’s story.”
When the first Eurostar trains left London in 1994, they carried a total of 38,000 in the first month of operation. Now, 18 years later, passenger numbers in 2012 average more than 830,000 a month.
