Towards a Swiss-London Rail Line : The Historic Alliance between SBB and Eurostar

The dream of a direct rail link between the Alps and the Thames has taken a decisive step forward with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Swiss Federal Railways (SBB/CFF/FFS), SNCF Voyageurs, and Eurostar.

This strategic partnership aims to address an undeniable reality: London is now the leading air destination from Switzerland, generating a massive influx of travelers seeking eco-friendly alternatives.

Preliminary market studies are promising, outlining competitive journey times: approximately 5 hours from Basel, 5.5 hours from Geneva, and 6 hours from Zurich.

This cooperation is based on the complementary expertise of the three partners: SNCF, a long-standing partner of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB/CFF/FFS), ensures the essential passage through French territory, while Eurostar brings its thirty years of experience in the complex management of the Channel Tunnel.

Although the political will has been sealed since the intergovernmental agreement of May 2025 between Albert Rösti and Heidi Alexander, the technical challenge remains immense.

The commissioning, planned for the 2030s at the earliest, will depend on overcoming major logistical hurdles: securing customs controls at stations, ensuring the availability of train slots on already congested networks, and, above all, acquiring specific rolling stock.

In this regard, Eurostar is already anticipating this growth with an order for 50 Celestia double-decker trainsets from Alstom, the first deliveries of which, scheduled for May 2031, would coincide with the potential opening of these new Swiss routes.

Already carrying 20 million passengers annually, Eurostar confirms its ambition to become the central hub of high-speed European mobility, transforming long-distance international journeys into a seamless, carbon-neutral experience from start to finish.