EUROSTAR has confirmed it will operate nine return trains between London and Paris every weekday from December 12 2021 until January 8 2022, along with five return services between London and Brussels and two between London and Amsterdam as part of its Christmas 2021 timetable.
Eurostar says it quadrupled of bookings in September 2021 compared with the same period last year following the easing of travel restrictions. To meet demand, it will operate 15 services on October 22, which is set to be its busiest day since the start of the pandemic due to the half-term holiday in Britain.
Five trains per day are currently operating between London and Paris, an increase from the two which operated throughout the summer, with three daily return trips on the London - Brussels route (with one extended to Rotterdam and Amsterdam) instead of the one that had been running.
However, services have yet to restart to several destinations including the south of France and Disneyland Paris.
While Eurostar will not operate trains to ski resorts this winter, the Travelski Express will operate from London St Pancras to Moutiers and Bourg St Maurice every Friday from December 26 2021 until April 9, leaving at 19.45. The train returns the following day.
This will be a train chartered by Compagnie des Alps, with bookings available via the company’s Travelski subsidiary rather than via Eurostar. A test run has already happened. Journey times will be between eight and nine hours.
An in-depth analysis of Eurostar’s tumultuous 18 months during the coronavirus pandemic appears in the October edition of IRJ p18, or for railjournal.com subscribers here.
