Eurostar-Thalys merger could leave Britain behind

Departing soon: the trains sporting their new logo

- SIMON CALDER TRAVEL CORRESPONDENT

When Eurostar started shuttling between London and Paris in 1994, the cheapest return ticket was £95. To its credit, the Channel Tunnel passenger train operator reduced fares as capacity expanded and the network grew to include Lille, Brussels and beyond.

The least I have paid is £58 return to both the French or Belgian capital. But during and after the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, prices have been much higher. For my trip this week, I grabbed a £78 return – and presumed, given the surging demand for travel, that the train would be full. Yet when I walked through the train, at least one on three seats was empty. When I reached the Belgian capital, I discovered why: early departures from London to the continent, and those inbound, are capped at a maximum of 550 passengers – leaving 350, or 39 per cent empty. The facilities cannot bear the strain of full trains, now that the UK demands full passport examination and stamping for its citizens.