ORR approves Virgin Trains' daily Channel Tunnel services from 2030

For the first time since the Channel Tunnel opened in 1994, Eurostar gets a competitor; the tunnel currently runs at only about 50% of capacity (around 30 services a day from London). Before launch Virgin still has to obtain trains, secure access to other networks and win safety approvals from the ORR and EU authorities.

On 13 August 2026 the regulator ORR decided to pre-approve a new framework agreement on track access between HS1 Limited and Virgin Trains, and announced this on 17 August 2026. It allows Virgin to run up to 20 additional daily return services between London and Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam from 1 October 2030 to 31 December 2040, ending Eurostar's monopoly that has existed since the tunnel opened in 1994, while the tunnel runs at only half capacity. The parties can conclude the agreement by 4 September 2026; Virgin must also obtain trains, secure access to further networks and win safety clearances from the ORR and EU authorities, and an order for twelve Avelia trains from Alstom is, according to the report, close to being finalised. In October 2025 the ORR had already approved access to the Temple Mills International depot (LOK Report, 17 Aug 2026).