14 January 2026

Eurostar surprises its 400 millionth customer as it celebrates growth in 2025

London, 14^th January 2025 - Eurostar has reached a historic milestone across its five-country network, carrying 400 million customers since services began in 1994.

The achievement follows a record year, with 20 million customers choosing to travel with Eurostar in 2025, an increase of 500,000 passengers. This reflects sustained demand from both leisure and business travellers, building on more than three decades of connecting major European cities across the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherland, and Germany - and supporting sustainable travel.

Eurostar’s lucky 400 millionth passenger, Amy Gallagher, travelled from London to Amsterdam on service ES 9124[i] and was surprised at St Pancras by Eurostar station and onboard teams. To mark the milestone, Eurostar upgraded Amy and her partner, Elliot Lipley, who are moving from London to Amsterdam, from Standard to Premier and offered a complimentary bottle of Champagne Fleury, Eurostar’s exclusive onboard champagne selected by Head Sommelier Honey Spencer.

 

Routes with the strongest growth on the Eurostar network in 2025 included:

 

• London–Amsterdam (+18.3%)
• London-Brussels (+5.8%)
• London-Paris (+5%)

 

• London- Germany (via Brussels) (+10%)

 

The equivalent of one Eurostar e320 a day of customers travelled using SNAP tickets in 2025[ii] – Eurostar's newest ticket type relaunched in 2024, which offers up to 50% discount for last minute travel.

 

Gwendoline Cazenave, Eurostar CEO, said: “To have welcomed 400 million people on board Eurostar is an incredible moment in our long history of connecting people across Europe. Celebrating the milestone with a lucky customer on our Dutch route made it even more special, as we continue to focus our growth efforts on The Netherlands. Another year of growth to 20 million passengers only motivates us to do more for our customers in the years to come as we expand, including into new countries as we introduce the new Celestia fleet.”

 

London–Netherlands: a strategic growth route

London–Netherlands continues to be the key focus for Eurostar’s growth in the coming years, with its current fleet.

 

• In February 2025, Eurostar opened its new UK Terminal in Amsterdam, enabling increased capacity of up to 810 passengers on direct services between the UK and the Netherlands.
• In December 2025, Eurostar launched its fifth daily direct service between London and Rotterdam and Amsterdam, significantly increasing choice and flexibility for customers since becoming the first rail operator to service this route in 2018

 

Major investment in new trains and new direct routes 

To support its ambition to carry 30 million passengers a year, Eurostar announced in October 2025 a €2 billion investment in a new fleet of up to 50 Eurostar Celestia trains from Alstom.

 

• An initial order of 30 new double-decker trains, with options for a further 20, has been placed with Alstom.
• Eurostar Celestia will be the first double-decker trains to operate through the Channel Tunnel and on the UK network.
• Each train will offer around 20% more capacity, with first services expected to enter operation from 2031.
• Celestia will take customers to new destinations directly including London-Frankfurt, London-Geneva and Amsterdam-Brussels to Geneva.

 

Designed with sustainability and accessibility at their core, the new bespoke Eurostar trains will deliver improved energy efficiency and enhanced onboard comfort, informed by input from passengers, accessibility groups and Eurostar employees.

 

Enhancing the customer and employee experience

In 2025, Eurostar continued to strengthen the customer and employee experience across its network through a series of targeted initiatives.

 

New uniform launch

• Eurostar unveiled its first new uniform in over a decade, worn by more than 2,600 onboard and station employees from October 2025.
• Designed by Emmanuelle Plescoff and co-created with Eurostar employees, the collection is inclusive, functional and sustainably produced, reinforcing a consistent and recognisable Eurostar experience.

 

Inclusion of travellers with autism

• In April 2025, Eurostar signed the Charter of commitments relating to the inclusion of travellers with autism in the rail environment, committing Eurostar to clearer and more sensory-sensitive information and enhanced staff training.

 

Reinventing onboard dining for Premier customers

• Eurostar’s chefs Jeremy Chan, Jessica Préalpato and Honey Spencer continue to reinvent onboard menus for Eurostar Premier customers, with a focus on seasonal, responsibly sourced ingredients and lower-impact production.

 

Together, these initiatives demonstrate how Eurostar is combining growth with long-term investment in customer experience, sustainability and inclusion, as the company marks 400 million passengers and builds momentum for the next phase of international rail travel across Europe.

 

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