Train passengers leaving from London to the Swiss City of Geneva will have an easier journey from December, with Eurostar trains switching in Lille instead of Paris – reducing the journey time by up to an hour.
Passengers taking the train from England to Switzerland have to currently change stations in Paris, arriving at Gare du Nord before departing from Gare de Lyon.
The new route, in partnership with TGV Lyria, will mean passengers change platforms at Lille, with a maximum wait of 30 minutes. Total journey times will be six hours 18 minutes; currently they can take as long as seven hours 17 minutes.
Tickets are on sale now, with the inaugural service leaving the tracks on December 14.
Research by Ipsos revealed that Geneva is one of the most desirable destinations for UK travellers. With four daytime services each week, the new Geneva service will carry 9000 passengers to and from Geneva’s central station.
Nick Mercer, commercial director, Eurostar, said: “Our research shows a real appetite for a more civilised way to reach popular European destinations, and this new connecting service offers easy access for customers looking for a city break in Geneva or to reach some of the most spectacular ski resorts in Europe. With city-centre to city-centre travel and a generous baggage allowance, the new offer proposes an attractive alternative to flying.”
A direct service to Lyon and Marseille has also been announced starting in May next year, followed by Amsterdam in late 2016. The new Swiss service coincides with the refurbishment of Lille Europe station designed to significantly increase the capacity of the Eurostar terminal in order to accommodate growth in the number of connecting passengers. The new look Eurostar terminal will be unveiled in December this year.
