Eurostar to cut St Pancras boarding times by 30 minutes

Cross-Chanel rail operator Eurostar says it is planning to cut queueing times by up to 30 minutes at London St Pancras station, and allow passengers to arrive and board closer to departure times. 

It comes as station operators say the boarding experience has become too similar to an airport, and wants to promote rail travel as a viable alternative for passengers heading beyond Paris. 

Under the new plans, passengers would be able to wait directly on trains at platforms after passing through security, as opposed to being held in a departure lounge until boarding just before the train leaves. 

In turn, current rules requiring passengers to check in at least 60 minutes before boarding will be cut to just half an hour. 

The changes apply only to London St Pancras, however, and not to Paris Gare du Nord or other mainland stops. 

Easing congestion and improving passenger flow is a major priority for the station, amid new EU border security regulations, station expansion, increased Eurostar capacity and anticipated incoming competition along the London-Paris rail route. 

The new boarding process will be rolled out alongside updates to the station in preparation for additional companies to offer services.

‘Too much like an airport’ 

Station authorities want to return the London St Pancras terminal to a more traditional domestic railway experience.

“It cannot be the equivalent of an airport departure lounge. We see [boarding under the new plans] being a really quick process. Going straight to the train is part of the plan,” said London St Pancras Highspeed Chief Commercial Officer Wendy Spinks, quoted in The Telegraph.

“It has become too close to the airport experience, where you check in, go to security, wait in the lounge and then rush to the gate. 

“You will always want some people to turn up a bit earlier so that you can process them and get them on board but at least 50% of passengers should go straight to the train,” she added.

A £100 million remodelling of the station is set to help make more space available for passengers, by expanding queuing zones – set to be busier as due to the EU’s Entry/Exit System – in lieu of rarely used arrival halls.

“Over time, security and border processing has taken up more and more space so that when you get through security, there’s nothing there.” Ms Spinks said.

Incoming competition

The remodelling will also target a push to increase passenger numbers, with station management one of several groups to argue Cross-Channel rail services are far from at capacity and should be further developed.

“There is a mismatch between what the route can handle and what the station can handle,” Ms Spinks said. 

The new plans also allow for the potential emergence of new rail companies offering services through the Channel Tunnel. 

Companies would share the five international platforms, with passengers expected to direct themselves towards the correct service after passing through security. 

“If you look at Gare du Nord in Paris, they have trains going all over the place. It is [each passenger’s] job to get on the right one.” 

London St Pancras Highspeed – which also manages the high-speed rail corridor between the station and the Channel Tunnel – is set to make official recommendations to the UK’s Office of Rail and Road about allowing potential Eurostar competitors to use the station and tracks to provide a rival service. 

Italian state rail company Trenitalia and a new-look Virgin Trains are leading the race, with Spanish operator Evolyn also reportedly interested.