Italy’s state-run railway operator, Ferrovie dello Stato (FS), is gearing up to challenge Eurostar’s longstanding dominance on the London-Paris train route, with a sleek new high-speed service set to launch by 2029. This €1 billion move not only places FS in direct competition with Eurostar, but also with Virgin Group, which has teased its own ambitions for cross-channel travel. Backed by the European Union’s railway liberalisation efforts, this wave of competition promises more choices and lower prices for travelers seeking greener alternatives to flying.
Stefano Antonio Donnarumma, FS’s Chief Executive, isn’t just talking tracks and tunnels. “We’re building more than infrastructure—we’re building options,” he emphasized in a statement, underscoring the company’s customer-first approach. The trains themselves will take cues from Italy’s high-speed Frecciarossa fleet, though specifics are still under wraps. FS is actively working on technical assessments to ensure seamless integration with Getlink’s Channel Tunnel and has reportedly made significant progress in expanding capacity at London’s bustling St. Pancras station.
Beyond the headline London-Paris link, FS is thinking bigger. Plans are already on the table to extend routes to French cities like Lille, Lyon, and Marseille, and possibly to Milan via Ashford in southern England. The company has also revived its Milan-Paris service this month, and signed a memorandum of understanding with Evolyn, a budding high-speed rail startup, signaling that FS is not just entering the game—it’s aiming to redefine it.
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(Source: IndexBox | FS Italiane)
