Virgin secures UK approval to run Channel high-speed rail services from 2030

PARIS, France — LONDON — Virgin Group has received railway access rights to operate high-speed train services across the English Channel, Britain's rail regulator said on Monday, clearing the way for direct routes to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam from 2030. The approval marks a key step in Virgin's more than decade-long effort to compete with Eurostar, which has operated as the sole carrier on the Channel Tunnel passenger route. The Office of Rail and Road said the company can begin services from 2030, with daily London–Paris trips planned in the first phase. Virgin said the new routes could also connect cities in France, Belgium and the Netherlands, along with additional links to airports. The company is continuing work on the procurement of high-speed train sets for the planned line.