A direct line from London-Marseille

A DIRECT Eurostar service from London’s St Pancras to Marseille is set to launch in May next year, it has been revealed.

The announcement of the year-round service - part of a wider plan to increase the number of destinations Eurostar serves - was made during a meeting of Ashford Borough Council, Kent Online reports

The train firm’s head of public affairs, Pierre Delalande, told councillors in the Kent town that some services would stop there en route to and from the Mediterranean city.

He said that although the London to Marseille service would be direct, travellers on the return journey would have to change in Lille. He said: “We would love to have a direct return journey but we have to follow immigration policy.”

Ticket are expected to go on sale for the new service as early as December, but it is not yet known how long the journey will take.

Journeys between London St Pancras and Avignon take slightly less than six hours.

Photo: Paul Johnson