The UK rail regulator has approved Virgin Trains’ bid to share a key depot with Eurostar, opening the door for new passenger services through the Channel Tunnel and ending Eurostar’s exclusive hold on the route since it opened in 1994.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) gave the green light for Virgin to use the Temple Mills maintenance depot in east London. Temple Mills is the only UK facility capable of handling the larger continental trains and already links directly to the cross‑Channel line.
Virgin has said it aims to start running international services from 2030, but the ORR stressed that several conditions must be met first. Virgin must negotiate a commercial agreement with Eurostar, secure financing, obtain access to track and stations, and win safety approvals from both UK and EU regulators.
The regulator had previously concluded the depot could accommodate either an expanded Eurostar fleet or a rival operator’s trains, but not both without a sharing arrangement. The ORR described its decision as unlocking roughly £700m of potential investment and creating around 400 jobs, calling it beneficial for passengers and economic growth.
Sir Richard Branson welcomed the decision, saying it will end a three‑decade monopoly and bring Virgin’s approach to the cross‑Channel market. Rail Minister Lord Hendy said he was pleased and called the move a significant step to increase choice, reduce fares and boost connectivity with Europe.
Martin Jones, deputy director of Access and International at the ORR, noted that while approval is an important milestone, further work remains and the regulator is prepared to engage with Virgin as plans progress.
Several companies had sought to operate London–mainland Europe services, including Spanish start‑up Evolyn, a Gemini Trains and Uber partnership, and Trenitalia. The ORR approved only Virgin’s application and rejected the others.
Virgin plans to run trains from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord, Brussels‑Midi and Amsterdam Centraal, with longer‑term ambitions to expand across France and into Germany and Switzerland. If successful, the move would mark Virgin Trains’ return to UK passenger operations after it left the network in 2019 when it lost its West Coast franchise.
Virgin formerly operated long‑distance services from London Euston via Birmingham and Manchester to Scotland for 22 years before being disqualified from bidding for the franchise. The new international proposal would represent a different chapter for the company on the rails.
The ORR decision is a procedural but pivotal step: it permits depot sharing in principle, but commercial, operational and regulatory hurdles remain before passengers see the first new cross‑Channel Virgin services.
