The first direct competition to Eurostar since its introduction 30 years ago is “expected to start operating in 2025” and “will be fully operational in 2026”, according to new operator Evolyn.
The company says it has reached agreement with Alstom to supply 12 new Avelia trains, with an option to expand up to a “minimum of 16 according to our forecasts”.
While details of the trains are not disclosed, Alstom’s Avelia platform (based on the TGV Duplex) is available in single and double-deck versions, with the latter due to enter service with SNCF in 2025.
The news was confirmed when Eurotunnel owner and operator Getlink revealed in a financial update: “The attractiveness of the Channel Tunnel was reaffirmed with Evolyn’s decision to launch a new high-speed passenger train service between Great Britain and continental Europe from 2025, confirming the strong growth potential of low-carboncross-Channel traffic.”
Registered in the UK, Evolyn is controlled by members of the Spain-based Cosmen family, who have a significant financial interest in Mobico (until June called National Express).
The Cosmen family have been involved with Mobico -including having a seat on its board -since they sold their large Spanish-based coach and bus operation (ALSA) to National Express in 2005.
Mobico is understood not to be involved in the Evolyn proposal.
In a statement, Evolyn said the total investment is £1 billion, led by the Cosmen family and backed by “important British and French industrial and financial partners”.
However, Alstom played down the statement, saying it has “established a short-term agreement to proceed with initial train system engineering activities”, with the objective of “accelerating activities, should the parties eventually enter into a contract for the purchase and delivery of a certain number of trains, provided that Evolyn is capable of securing project financing”.
Alstom added that delivery dates will be confirmed when a “firm and final contract” is agreed, to be “signed at a later date”.
“The acquisition of trains… is the definitive step in the materialisation of Evolyn,” said Evolyn CEO Jorge Cosmen.
“We know that the governments of the UK and France welcome a project that will allow their citiz
