Virgin Trains has taken a significant step towards launching international rail services from London to mainland Europe after receiving regulatory approval for access to the High Speed 1 network.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) announced it has pre-approved a new framework track access agreement between HS1 Ltd, which operates the route from London St Pancras to the Channel Tunnel, and Virgin Trains.
The agreement would allow Virgin to operate up to 20 daily return services between London and Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam from October 2030 until the end of 2040.
The move paves the way for Virgin Trains to challenge Eurostar’s long-standing monopoly on passenger services through the Channel Tunnel.
Virgin Trains and London St Pancras High Speed can now formally enter into the agreement by 4 September 2026.
The approval follows another key milestone last year when Virgin secured access to Eurostar’s Temple Mills depot in east London, the only maintenance facility connected to High Speed 1.
Before the service can launch, however, Virgin must secure rolling stock, gain access to rail infrastructure beyond the UK, and obtain safety approvals from regulators in both the UK and Europe.
ORR Deputy Director for Access and International Martin Jones said: “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.”
Virgin has previously said it aims to begin operating services in 2030, offering travellers more choice on routes between London and major European cities.
