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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| High-speed rail link open in year | High-speed rail link open in year |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The final section of the Folkestone to London Channel Tunnel Rail Link is to open in a year's time - 14 years after the high-speed line opened in France. | The final section of the Folkestone to London Channel Tunnel Rail Link is to open in a year's time - 14 years after the high-speed line opened in France. |
| Train operator Eurostar said its 186mph trains would start using the final section, from Ebbsfleet in north Kent, to St Pancras, on 14 November 2007. | Train operator Eurostar said its 186mph trains would start using the final section, from Ebbsfleet in north Kent, to St Pancras, on 14 November 2007. |
| The opening of the final stage will cut journey times from London to Paris from 2hr 35min to 2hr 15min. | The opening of the final stage will cut journey times from London to Paris from 2hr 35min to 2hr 15min. |
| The first phase, from Folkestone to Ebbsfleet, opened in September 2003. | |
| "This move will be the most significant event in Eurostar's history since we started running passenger services 12 years ago today," said chief executive Richard Brown. | "This move will be the most significant event in Eurostar's history since we started running passenger services 12 years ago today," said chief executive Richard Brown. |
| "It will mark the start of a new era in travel between the UK and mainland Europe, making high-speed rail an even faster, more reliable and less environmentally damaging alternative to flying." | "It will mark the start of a new era in travel between the UK and mainland Europe, making high-speed rail an even faster, more reliable and less environmentally damaging alternative to flying." |
| Eurostar trains will continue running into Waterloo until 13 November 2007. | Eurostar trains will continue running into Waterloo until 13 November 2007. |
| Waterloo's international terminal will then be handed back to the government, which has promised to use the platforms to reduce congestion for domestic commuter trains. | Waterloo's international terminal will then be handed back to the government, which has promised to use the platforms to reduce congestion for domestic commuter trains. |
| Journey time | Journey time |
| Eurostar is also to run services from £100m Ebbsfleet station to Paris and Brussels, but is to cut the services it currently runs from Ashford in Kent. | Eurostar is also to run services from £100m Ebbsfleet station to Paris and Brussels, but is to cut the services it currently runs from Ashford in Kent. |
| The opening of the Ebbsfleet to St Pancras section will also cut the journey time from London to Brussels, from 2hr 15min to 1hr 51 min. | The opening of the Ebbsfleet to St Pancras section will also cut the journey time from London to Brussels, from 2hr 15min to 1hr 51 min. |
| Eurostar trains will run to St Pancras when the link is completed | Eurostar trains will run to St Pancras when the link is completed |
| High-speed domestic services will start using the new section from 2009. | High-speed domestic services will start using the new section from 2009. |
| The completion of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link will finally put the UK on a par with France and Belgium. | The completion of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link will finally put the UK on a par with France and Belgium. |
| The French had their high-speed rail link ready in 1993 - a year before the Channel Tunnel opened, while the Belgian high-speed link was completed in 1997. | The French had their high-speed rail link ready in 1993 - a year before the Channel Tunnel opened, while the Belgian high-speed link was completed in 1997. |
| Mr Brown said St Pancras International station would be "stunning", with connections that would make Eurostar accessible to millions of new customers across the UK. | Mr Brown said St Pancras International station would be "stunning", with connections that would make Eurostar accessible to millions of new customers across the UK. |
| "We will be competing head-on with regional airports, with comparable city centre-to-city centre journey times," he said. | "We will be competing head-on with regional airports, with comparable city centre-to-city centre journey times," he said. |