Eurostar has announced a landmark investment in the UK’s rail network, confirming an order for the country’s first fleet of double-decker high-speed trains. The new “Eurostar Celestia” series will begin commercial service in 2031, marking a bold step toward expanding sustainable, cross-border travel across Europe.
The high-speed Celestia fleet will operate across five countries, including the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and new routes to Germany and Switzerland. This means travellers will soon be able to board a Eurostar directly from London St Pancras to Frankfurt and Geneva, extending the operator’s reach deeper into the heart of Europe.
The new double-decker trains will be built by Alstom, with Eurostar placing an initial order for 30 units and an option for 20 more, as part of a €2 billion (£1.74 billion) deal. The Celestia models will run alongside Eurostar’s existing Siemens-built e320s, offering a 20% increase in seating capacity and improved energy efficiency. Each 200-metre set will feature around 540 seats, and when coupled into 400-metre formations for Channel Tunnel services, each train could carry more than 1,000 passengers per journey.
To accommodate the new fleet, Eurostar will invest €80 million (£70 million) in upgrading its Temple Mills depot in London, creating approximately 350 new jobs. Most of Eurostar’s workforce is already based in the UK, and this expansion reinforces the company’s long-term commitment to British operations and engineering excellence.
Eurostar CEO Gwendoline Cazenave said the investment represents a defining moment for the company’s future:
“Placing this milestone order marks the concrete realisation of Eurostar’s ambitious growth strategy to reach 30 million passengers by investing in a brand new fleet. We’re particularly proud to bring double-decker trains to the UK for the very first time. Customers can expect a very special new train with Eurostar Celestia, which will offer exceptional comfort, a unique Eurostar experience, and new surprises to be revealed.”
The Celestia fleet promises up to 50% energy savings compared to Eurostar’s current models, aligning the project with the company’s wider sustainability ambitions. Each double-decker unit has been designed with a lower floor and a taller body, optimising space while ensuring smooth accessibility.
Described by Eurostar as the dawn of a “golden age for international sustainable travel,” the Celestia trains symbolise a new chapter in European connectivity, one where comfort, capacity, and carbon reduction go hand in hand.