Green light for Virgin Trains international services

<span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Green light for Virgin Trains international services</span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2026-08-17T07:00:00+00:00" title="Monday, 17 August, 2026 - 07:00" class="datetime">Mon, 17/08/2026 - 07:00</time> </span> <span class="orr-published-date">17 August 2026</span> <div class="field field--name-field-standfirst field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">The Office of Rail and Road (ORR), the rail regulator, has today announced that on 13 August it decided to pre-approve a new framework track access agreement between HS1 Limited (trading as London St. Pancras Highspeed) and VTE OPCO Limited (Virgin Trains). The agreement will allow Virgin Trains to operate up to 20 new daily return services between London and Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam from 1 October 2030 to 31 December 2040. </div> <div class="field field--name-field-cover-image field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Cover Image</div> <div class="field__item"><article class="media media--type-image media--view-mode-demo-cover"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Image</div> <div class="field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/demo_cover/public/2026-08/STOCK%20HS1%20QE2%20Bridge%203%20-%20Eurostar. JPG?h=0a43b1f9&amp;itok=vSvlv9HB" width="1199" height="674" alt="HS1 network" class="image-style-demo-cover" /> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-components field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Components</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--text paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The agreement is a significant step forward in bringing competition to the market for international rail services, supporting economic growth and providing significant benefits for passengers travelling between London and continental Europe.</p><p>Virgin Trains and London St Pancras High Speed may now enter into the agreement by 4 September 2026.</p><p>There are a number of steps before the new services will be able to run. Virgin Trains must also procure rolling stock, secure access to other rail networks, and obtain safety approvals from ORR and the relevant authorities in the EU. Virgin Trains plans to begin running services in 2030.</p><p><strong>Martin Jones, deputy director, access &amp; international, said:&nbsp;</strong></p></div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div class="styling-options--alignment--left pull-quote-size--big paragraph paragraph--type--pull-quote paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="pull-quote-container"> <div class="pull-quote-text"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>“This is an important next step in bringing competition and growth to the market for international rail services, and we welcome the progress Virgin Trains and London St Pancras High Speed have made. While there is still more work to do, we are supporting Virgin and the wider industry to grow international services.”</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--text paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>Notes to editors</strong></p><ol><li>The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is the independent economic and safety regulator for Britain’s railways, and monitor of performance and efficiency for England’s strategic road network.</li><li><a href="https://www.orr.gov.uk/media/28663">Decision letter</a></li><li>Previous announcements:<ol><li>31 March 2025: <a href="https://www.orr.gov.uk/search-news/rail-regulator-says-some-capacity-can-be-made-available-eurostar-depot">Rail regulator says some capacity can be made available at Eurostar depot | Office of Rail and Road</a></li><li>5 June 2025: <a href="https://www.orr.gov.uk/search-news/more-cross-channel-rail-services-coming-down-track">More cross-channel rail services coming down the track | Office of Rail and Road</a></li><li>30 October 2025: <a href="https://www.orr.gov.uk/search-news/rail-regulator-opens-door-future-international-train-services-temple-mills-access">Rail regulator opens door to future international train services with Temple Mills access approval for Virgin Trains | Office of Rail and Road</a></li></ol></li><li>ORR’s decision follows its October 2025 approval of Virgin Trains’ application for access to Temple Mills International depot, which Virgin and other prospective operators saw as crucial in allowing them to operate international services. Since that decision, ORR has been supporting Virgin Trains and Eurostar in its work to enter into a contractual agreement for depot access.</li></ol></div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Publication

Office of Rail and Road - RSS · Trade Publication

Published

17th August 2026

Original report

orr.gov.uk

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