In many ways, the most significant news of the past year came from Eurostar, the high-speed trains of which link London with Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. Since its launch in 1994, Eurostar has gone it alone as an international operator but in 2021 it will join forces with Franco-Belgian company Thalys.
Both Eurostar and Thalys are majority-owned by France’s SNCF, so one hopes that this merger will mean improved ticketing and connections for customers. When fully developed, it will mean easier onward links from Brussels to the Netherlands and Germany.
Still, this good news is overshadowed by the traffic decline that both operators are experiencing owing to Covid-19. Of the two operators, Thalys is the more bullish. At the time of going to press it had restored more services than Eurostar, while Eurostar was restricted to a sparse timetable, in November scheduling two to three services per day to Paris, two services to Brussels and one to Amsterdam. This contrasts with the good times, pre-Covid, when Eurostar would be operating more than 20 services daily, including trains to Marseilles and Disneyland Paris as well as the Netherlands. Eurostar says that it does not intend to serve its two Kent stations, Ashford and Ebbsfleet, or operate its seasonal route to the South of France until 2022.
This story is from the November 2020 - January 2021 edition of Business Traveller UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 2020 - January 2021 edition of Business Traveller UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
A highlight is the rooftop pool, which is a tropical oasis for post-meeting R&R
Raffles London at The OWO
A stay at Raffles London at The OWO is bucket-list worthy
Royal Air Maroc Boeing 737-800 business class CASABLANCA-LONDON GATWICK
The service was great throughout the flight and the cabin crew were very friendly
Barking mad
Hoteliers worldwide are reaching for their dog bowls to meet the increasing demand of business travellers bringing their pets
GRAPE EXPECTATIONS
Discover the best wines available in the sky - and why you should avoid bold tannins inflight
RISKY BUSINESS
Business travellers need their wits about them more than ever these days with strategies in place should the worst happen
Delta Air Lines, Delta One suite A330-900neo, LOS ANGELES-LONDON
BACKGROUND Delta launched its Delta One (business class) product in 2017, with suites introduced on the A350-900, followed by the A330-900neo aircraft. On aircraft such as the A330-200/300, and Boeing 767-300/400, you will instead find Delta One seats.
ROME
Visit world-renowned landmarks and sites off the beaten track in this ancient city
Tales from VANCOUVER
One of the most culturally diverse destinations in Canada, this mega city has plenty to offer visitors year-round
Out of office
A round up of London's top spots for remote workers