Italy’s state rail operator FS Group has set its sights on the United Kingdom, outlining plans to develop a new high-speed connection through the Channel Tunnel by 2029 that would directly challenge Eurostar’s long-standing dominance on the London to Paris corridor and reshape cross-Channel travel for business and leisure passengers alike.

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FS Group’s Ambition: A New Player on the London–Paris Corridor

FS Group, the parent company of Trenitalia, has confirmed that it is working toward launching a high-speed rail service between Paris and London by 2029, using the Channel Tunnel and the High Speed 1 line in the UK.

The move forms a central pillar of the company’s 2025 to 2029 strategic plan, which places international expansion at the heart of its growth ambitions.

Executives have made clear that the Paris–London link is not an isolated project but part of a broader effort to extend Italian-style high-speed services across Europe.

The company already operates Trenitalia France services connecting Paris with Lyon, Marseille and Milan, and sees a direct route to the UK as the next logical step. In public remarks, senior managers have described the London–Paris link as the group’s “next challenge,” underlining its symbolic and commercial importance.

The plan would establish FS Group as a direct competitor to Eurostar, which has held a de facto monopoly on passenger services through the Channel Tunnel since the 1990s, and would place Italy’s Frecciarossa trains alongside French and Belgian rolling stock on one of Europe’s most iconic rail corridors.

For UK and European travelers, the prospect of a second operator raises the possibility of more frequent services, sharper pricing and differentiated onboard experiences.

Strategic Partnerships and a 1 Billion Euro Investment Drive

To underpin its cross-Channel ambitions, FS Group has launched a major investment program worth around 1 billion euro focused on international high-speed routes.

A cornerstone of this strategy is a newly announced partnership with the US-based investment firm Certares, which specializes in the travel and tourism sector and brings deep commercial relationships with corporate and leisure travel distributors.

The partnership with Certares is designed to accelerate the growth of Trenitalia France and build a robust platform for cross-border services, including the future Paris–London operation.

The plan includes expanding the French high-speed fleet to at least 19 trains, increasing frequencies on the busy Paris–Lyon axis to as many as 28 daily trips, and constructing a new maintenance facility near Paris that will serve both domestic and international services.

FS Group has also signed a memorandum of understanding with Evolyn, a Spanish-backed project that has separately signaled its own interest in running London–Paris trains.

The memorandum provides a framework for potential cooperation on rolling stock, operations or commercial activities, and signals that the Italian group is open to alliances that could strengthen its position on the route.

While the precise contours of any partnership are still under discussion, the agreement underscores the complexity and capital intensity of entering the Channel Tunnel market.

All of these moves flow from FS Group’s updated strategic plan, which confirms ambitious financial targets out to 2029 and frames international expansion as a key growth driver.

The company reports that its overseas operations already generate billions of euro in annual revenue and employ thousands of staff, and it views further expansion in France, the UK and other European markets as vital to achieving long-term scale.

Rolling Stock and Service Concept: Frecciarossa Heads for the Channel

At the heart of the proposed UK connection is a fleet of high-speed trainsets inspired by Italy’s flagship Frecciarossa 1000, the top-tier product in Trenitalia’s domestic network.

These trains, jointly developed with Hitachi Rail and already certified for operation in multiple European countries, are known for their high speeds, refined interiors and energy-efficient design.

FS Group plans to deploy a dedicated fleet of around 10 Channel Tunnel-compliant trains, based on the Frecciarossa 1000 platform and adapted to meet UK and French regulatory requirements, including Channel Tunnel safety rules and multi-system signaling.

The trains would operate at up to 300 kilometers per hour on high-speed lines, allowing journey times that are competitive with, or potentially faster than, existing services over the same corridor.

The new maintenance facility near Paris, part of the investment package, is expected to host this cross-Channel fleet.

According to planning outlines, the site will be able to service up to 28 daily trips on the Paris–Lyon line and accommodate the Channel Tunnel trains, reducing dependence on UK depots and simplifying overnight operations.

In practice, the operational model could mean that just one train remains in London overnight, with the majority of servicing handled on the French side.

From a passenger perspective, FS Group has indicated that it wants to position the Frecciarossa-inspired trains as a premium yet competitive option, emphasizing comfort, onboard connectivity and service quality.

The company has built a reputation in Italy and Spain for offering differentiated classes of travel, high-end catering and strong punctuality, and is likely to bring a similar concept to its London–Paris services in an effort to stand out in a crowded travel marketplace.

Regulatory Hurdles and Channel Tunnel Access

Developing a new high-speed link to the UK is not simply a matter of acquiring trains.

Any new operator must secure paths through the Channel Tunnel, access to the High Speed 1 line in Britain and compatible facilities for maintenance and stabling, while navigating a complex regulatory landscape that spans at least two national rail systems and the binational Channel Tunnel regime.

FS Group has already passed several key milestones. The UK’s Office of Rail and Road has confirmed the possibility for new operators to access the Temple Mills maintenance depot in east London, a development that effectively opens the door to additional high-speed entrants on the London–Paris route.

The Italian group has also filed submissions and responses in regulatory consultations regarding High Speed 1 capacity and international services, signaling its serious intent to enter the market.

At the same time, the company can leverage its existing footprint in the UK to smooth the process. FS Group has been present in the British market since 2017 through its ownership of c2c, a commuter rail operator in southeast England, and as a key partner in the Avanti West Coast franchise, which runs long-distance services from London to the Midlands, northwest England and Scotland.

This presence provides local operational expertise, established relationships with British regulators and experience with UK safety and performance standards.

Even with these advantages, challenges remain. Any cross-Channel operator must comply with stringent tunnel safety regulations, coordinate timetables across borders, and manage the operational complexity of border controls and security, especially in a post-Brexit environment.

FS Group’s target of launching by 2029 reflects both the opportunity and the lead times required to secure approvals, train paths and fully certified rolling stock.

Rivalry and Market Dynamics: Taking on Eurostar and Virgin

The most immediate impact of FS Group’s plan is on the competitive landscape for London–Paris travel. For three decades, Eurostar has been the primary brand associated with rail journeys through the Channel Tunnel, with airlines providing the main alternative.

That picture is changing as multiple challengers eye the corridor, raising the prospect of a more fragmented yet dynamic market by the end of the decade.

Virgin, backed by Sir Richard Branson’s group, has already secured space at a London depot and has publicly targeted a 2030 launch for its own services between the UK and continental Europe.

FS Group’s ambition to begin running trains by 2029 effectively sets up a race to market between the Italian and Virgin-backed projects.

Industry analysts note that the presence of not one but two serious challengers signals growing confidence that demand on the corridor can support more than a single rail brand.

Travel demand between London, Paris and other major European cities has rebounded strongly after the pandemic, and rail operators are betting that long-term trends will favor high-speed trains over short-haul flights, particularly as governments and corporations intensify their focus on emissions reduction.

Corporate travel buyers, in particular, are seen as key targets for new high-speed services, and FS Group’s partnership with Certares and its portfolio of travel companies aims to tap into that segment.

For Eurostar, increased competition could mean pressure on fares and the need to further differentiate its onboard product.

For passengers, it could translate into more frequent departures, new loyalty schemes and possibly a wider choice of intermediate destinations, especially if FS Group proceeds with feasibility studies for extensions toward cities such as Lille, Lyon, Marseille or even Milan via the Channel Tunnel.

Sustainability and the Shift from Air to Rail

Sustainability is a central narrative behind FS Group’s cross-Channel plans. The company has consistently framed high-speed rail as a key pillar of Europe’s climate strategy, arguing that modern electric trains offer a significantly lower carbon footprint per passenger than equivalent short-haul flights.

With many European governments under pressure to curb aviation emissions and promote greener modes of travel, new international rail services are likely to find political as well as commercial support.

In its strategic documents, FS Group links the London–Paris project to wider decarbonization goals, including investments in energy efficiency, electrification and new-generation rolling stock.

The group has launched an internal energy company to manage and progressively green its power supply, and is investing heavily in trains and buses with lower environmental impact across its networks. Positioning high-speed rail as a credible, attractive alternative to air travel is central to these efforts.

Corporate travelers and younger leisure passengers are increasingly weighing environmental considerations in their choice of transport, particularly on routes where rail travel times are competitive with the total door-to-door time of flying.

A non-stop high-speed journey between central London and central Paris typically takes around two and a half hours. FS Group’s planned services will aim to match or exceed current timings while offering a modern onboard environment that supports work and relaxation, making it easier for passengers to choose rail on sustainability grounds.

Industry observers note that if multiple operators succeed in expanding capacity and lowering fares on the cross-Channel route, the cumulative effect could be a meaningful shift in market share from air to rail over the next decade.

FS Group’s initiative is thus part of a broader European effort to enhance rail’s role in international mobility and climate policy.

Timelines, Uncertainties and What Travelers Can Expect

While FS Group has set a clear goal of starting high-speed services between Paris and London by 2029, the road to launch is lined with dependencies.

Regulatory approvals, infrastructure access agreements, delivery and certification of rolling stock, and the build-out of maintenance facilities all carry potential risks and unknowns.

Any delays in tunnel access negotiations or train deliveries, for example, could compress testing windows or push back service start dates.

At the same time, the company’s public commitments and the scale of its investments suggest that the project is more than a speculative concept.

FS Group’s established presence in France and the UK, its ongoing fleet renewal programs and its partnerships with major industrial and financial players provide a level of credibility that sets it apart from smaller would-be entrants.

For travelers, the most tangible signs of progress are likely to emerge gradually. In France, passengers may first notice the expansion of Trenitalia France services and the growing visibility of the Frecciarossa brand on domestic high-speed routes.

In the UK, industry watchers will track regulatory filings and capacity decisions on High Speed 1, as well as any recruitment or operational announcements linked to FS Group’s British subsidiaries.

If the 2029 target is met, passengers could see a phased introduction of services, with a limited initial timetable ramping up to more frequent departures as the fleet and operational footprint grow.

FS Group has also flagged the possibility of studying extensions beyond the core London–Paris axis, which could eventually give travelers more direct rail options connecting the British capital to southern France and northern Italy without changing operator.

FAQ

Q1: What exactly is FS Group planning to do by 2029?
FS Group plans to launch a new high-speed passenger rail service between Paris and London using the Channel Tunnel and High Speed 1, operating Frecciarossa-style trains as a direct competitor to existing cross-Channel operators.

Q2: Will the new service run directly from the UK to Italy?
Initially the focus is on a non-stop or limited-stop Paris–London route. FS Group has mentioned studying extensions toward cities such as Lyon, Marseille and Milan, but those ideas remain at the evaluation stage and would come later, if approved.

Q3: How many trains does FS Group expect to use on the London–Paris route?
The company’s planning outlines point to a dedicated fleet of about 10 high-speed trainsets adapted for Channel Tunnel operation, supported by a broader Trenitalia France fleet used on French domestic and other cross-border services.

Q4: When could passengers realistically start using the new trains?
FS Group’s target is to begin operations by 2029. That date depends on successful completion of regulatory approvals, infrastructure access agreements and the delivery and certification of new rolling stock, so it should be seen as an ambition rather than a fixed launch date.

Q5: How will this affect ticket prices between London and Paris?
While specific pricing has not been announced, the arrival of additional operators generally increases competition, which can put downward pressure on fares or lead to more varied pricing options and promotional offers for travelers.

Q6: What kind of onboard experience can travelers expect from FS Group?
FS Group is likely to bring its Frecciarossa service model to the UK–France corridor, with multiple classes of travel, modern interiors, strong Wi-Fi connectivity and catering options designed to appeal to both business and leisure passengers.

Q7: How is FS Group addressing environmental concerns with this project?
The company presents high-speed rail as a low-emission alternative to short-haul flights and is investing in energy-efficient trains, greener power supplies and network-wide decarbonization efforts that align with European climate targets.

Q8: What role does the partnership with Certares play in the plan?
Certares is providing capital and access to a broad network of travel distributors and corporate clients, helping FS Group scale its Trenitalia France operations and position the Paris–London corridor as a flagship route for sustainable European travel.

Q9: How does this project relate to other proposed competitors like Virgin?
Virgin-backed plans also target cross-Channel high-speed services, with a provisional goal of starting in 2030. FS Group’s 2029 objective positions it as an early challenger, and by the end of the decade travelers could see multiple new brands competing alongside Eurostar.

Q10: What are the main risks that could delay or derail the 2029 goal?
Key risks include regulatory or safety approval delays, difficulties securing sufficient train paths and depot access, supply-chain issues affecting train deliveries and broader economic or political shifts that could change demand or investment priorities.