Gemini challenges Eurostar with new international rail service plans

In recent months, a new competitor has emerged in the UK international rail sector, aiming to challenge the existing monopoly held by Eurostar in running passenger trains through the Channel Tunnel. The company, Gemini, chaired by Labour peer Lord Berkeley, has announced its intent to operate train services connecting London with major European cities, including Paris and Brussels. Over the last two years, Gemini has diligently worked on developing plans for these international services and has engaged extensively with various industry stakeholders. On February 24, they submitted an application to the Office of Rail and Road for access to Eurostar's Temple Mills maintenance depot, indicating their dedication to launching these services. This move follows the long-standing monopoly Eurostar has maintained since the opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994, which has drawn attention to potential expansions in rail connectivity. Getlink, the French owner of the tunnel, alongside London St Pancras Highspeed, has been proactive in discussing opportunities for establishing routes to other destinations like Bordeaux, Cologne, and Zurich, thereby creating an increasingly competitive landscape in international rail travel. Gemini’s chairman, Lord Berkeley, who has a significant background in the rail sector, emphasized that his team is strategically positioned to offer consumers more choices in this historically monopolized market, aiming to revive travel options to stations such as Ebbsfleet, which Eurostar had ceased servicing since March 2020 due to the pandemic. While local communities have expressed a desire for these services to return, Eurostar has chosen to concentrate on its primary routes instead. Gemini's initiative reflects a broader trend towards enhancing train services across Europe, which may lead to a more diverse array of travel options for passengers seeking to connect the UK to the continent.