 Poster: A snowHead
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Uber has teamed up with a start-up operator, Gemini Trains, to promote a planned rival service linking London with Paris and Brussels.
If the partners are permitted to launch trains to Continental Europe, they will not start from the terminal at St Pancras – but six miles down the track at Stratford International.
When the High Speed 1 (HS1) line from London St Pancras International to the Channel was constructed, the suburban station at Stratford was fitted out to handle passengers heading for France and beyond. But it has only ever been used for domestic Southeastern trains using the high-speed track to stations in Kent, with the international facilities lying idle.
Stratford is served by the Elizabeth Line from central London, Heathrow airport and Reading. Two Underground lines – the Central and Jubilee – provide other connections. The London Overground and Greater Anglia operate many trains to and from Stratford.
An Uber from central London to the east London station currently costs around £24.
Gemini Trains says it will also serve Ebbsfleet in north Kent en route to the Continent. Ebbsfleet, along with Ashford International, was mothballed after a combination of Covid and Brexit led to Eurostar abandoning the Kent stations.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Rob Burgess, founder of the frequent-flyer website Head for Points, said: “This is arguably a logical step for Uber. It has had success selling Eurostar tickets via its app, because of the 5 per cent cashback it offers |
Never real understand how that works.
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| “However, there is a long, long way to go before Gemini can get the necessary permissions and get its hands on rolling stock. Uber can pick up some free publicity now without having to worry about delivering anything in the short or even medium term." |
Might take a while before it really happens then.
I think the main thing to note is how much spare capacity the tunnel/rail has. It would be nice to see it put to use to reduce/not increase plane travel.
Also interesting to see what Uber becomes as a company.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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According to my daughter in law, who has used trains back and forth to France a lot over the years, one constraint on Eurostar is the terminals not being able to handle full trains.
I'm not clear why all the security/search stuff has to go on at St Pancras. It doesn't happen on Eurotunnel which is at least as vulnerable. Nor on trains to Edinburgh or Southampton!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Should be noted that "Stratford" is actually not a station but a collection of stations that are reasonably close by each other, with a shopping mall between the 2 main ones, and the overall distance is enough that DLR has 2.
I can't see how Stratford International could be used as a starting point for a service, without affecting HS1 and Eurostar through traffic.
Ebbsfleet and Ashford Intl. certainly need to be reinstated.
Looking forward to the day that there is a Frankfurt-Ebbsfleet service with 0 changes. Be even better/simpler all around if we joined EEA and Schengen.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Origen, i don’t understand. We often get pulled over for a security check at the tunnel. I’ve never used the Eurostar service as it’s too difficult/expensive to get to London but thought that the original plan was for it to serve more of the uk than just London with trains going up the east and west coast lines and, now this is pure fantasy, connecting with hs2
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@Origen, i don’t understand we often get pulled over for a security check at the tunnel. I’ve never used the Eurostar service as it’s too difficult/expensive to get to London but thought that the original plan was for it to serve more of the uk than just London with train going up the east and west coast lines and, now this is pure fantasy, connecting with hs2
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@johnE, the difference is that with Eurostar EVERY individual, and every piece of luggage, is scanned. Just like at airports. That takes time, and space. And means they need a big departure lounge as a holding area (which they don't really have).
Just imagine the chaos if everyone had to unload all their passengers, and all their luggage, for scanning at the tunnel check-in!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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It will be interesting to see what happens. Stratford is just a shell...there is nothing inside it at present to support any immigration or customs functions so all of that would have be installed.
Then there is the issue of persuading the French to put staff there to operate a Schengen exit check and also Border Force to operate Customs controls. Who pays for these staff?
The investment cost to any potential operator will be in the tens of millions of pounds and that is before a train evens moves....
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