Virgin Trains has secured track‑access approval from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to run up to 20 daily return services between London‑St Pancras and Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. The permission covers the period from 1 Oct 2030 to 31 Dec 2040, representing the most significant regulatory green‑light for a new cross‑Channel operator since Eurostar began services.
Regulatory green light
On 17 Aug 2026 the ORR announced that it had granted the approval. The regulator said, "The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said it had granted approval for Sir Richard Branson’s company to run up to 20 new daily return services through the Channel tunnel."1 The decision authorises Virgin Trains to use the High Speed 1 (HS1) line and the Channel Tunnel for the full ten‑year window, subject to the usual safety and capacity conditions that apply to all operators on the route.
Scope of the new services
The approval specifies up to 20 return trips per day – that is, up to 20 trains from London to each of the three continental destinations and the same number back. The figure is presented in the Guardian’s business coverage as "20 trains per day" and is tied directly to the ORR’s decision.1
Virgin plans to use the same stations currently served by Eurostar: St Pancras International in London, Gare du Nord in Paris, Brussels‑Midi/Zuid and Amsterdam Centraal. The company’s filing states that matching Eurostar’s station usage will simplify passenger connections and minimise additional infrastructure work.1
Investment and job creation
Virgin Trains has said it intends to invest £700 million in the cross‑Channel project. The investment is earmarked for rolling stock, signalling upgrades and the integration of ticketing systems with existing HS1 operations. In parallel, the company expects to create about 400 jobs in the United Kingdom, ranging from train‑crew positions to maintenance and support roles.1
Background on Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains was founded in 1997 as part of Sir Richard Branson’s broader Virgin brand. The company is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but the packet does not provide a confirmed chief executive or exact employee count; those details remain to be verified against the firm’s own statements.2
While Virgin’s domestic rail franchise operations have been limited in recent years, the cross‑Channel proposal marks a strategic shift toward international high‑speed services. The approval follows a period of criticism aimed at Eurostar over ticket prices and service reductions, although the packet does not quantify that criticism.
Potential impact on the market
The introduction of a second high‑speed operator could alter the competitive dynamics of the Channel tunnel corridor. By offering up to 20 additional daily return services, Virgin would increase the total number of seats available to passengers travelling between the UK and mainland Europe. The exact effect on fares, capacity utilisation and timetable integration will depend on the operator’s commercial strategy, which has not yet been disclosed.
From a regulatory perspective, the ORR’s decision demonstrates a willingness to open the tunnel to competition, provided safety and capacity standards are met. The approval period – a full ten‑year span – gives Virgin a long runway to develop its service offering, secure rolling stock contracts and negotiate track‑access slots with Network Rail and the tunnel operator.
Unanswered questions
- Exact timetable: The ORR approval does not detail the specific departure times or the allocation of slots on HS1 and the tunnel.
- Rolling‑stock specifications: Virgin has not yet announced the train models or capacity per service.
- Ticketing and pricing: No information is available on fare structures or whether Virgin will adopt a revenue‑share model with the tunnel operator.
- Impact on Eurostar: While the packet notes that Virgin will use the same stations, it does not contain any statement from Eurostar on how the new services might affect its own capacity or pricing.
These gaps will likely be filled as Virgin moves from regulatory approval to commercial planning, a process that could take several years given the 2030 start date.
Key figures
| Item | Value | Period / Unit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily return services approved | 20 | trains per day | The Guardian – Business (2026‑08‑17) |
| Approval start date | 1 Oct 2030 | The Guardian – Business (2026‑08‑17) | |
| Approval end date | 31 Dec 2040 | The Guardian – Business (2026‑08‑17) | |
| Planned investment | £700 million | The Guardian – Business (2026‑08‑17) | |
| Projected UK jobs | ≈ 400 | The Guardian – Business (2026‑08‑17) |
Next steps
Virgin Trains must now secure train‑sets, finalise slot allocations on HS1 and the tunnel, and obtain any additional safety certifications required for cross‑border operation. The ORR’s approval is a prerequisite, but not a guarantee, that the services will launch on schedule in 2030.
Stakeholders – from passengers to freight operators sharing the tunnel – will be watching the rollout closely. The next public update is expected from the ORR or Virgin Trains later in 2026, when detailed service plans are likely to be disclosed.