24 October 2018

Eurostar welcomes ‘Pepper’: the first robot in the UK travel industry

Eurostar, the high-speed rail operator connecting the UK with mainland Europe, today welcomed Pepper the robot to its London St Pancras team. In a first for the UK travel industry, the interactive humanoid robot offers customers, particularly families and children, a fun new way to find out about their journey before departure and entertains younger travellers.
 
Pepper, designed by SoftBank Robotics, is the first robot with the ability to recognise principal human emotions and adapt her own behaviour accordingly. Eurostar has recruited Pepper to entertain and help customers, and in partnership with Robots of London she can respond to questions or even pose for a selfie on request.
 
Located in the departure lounge at London St. Pancras, Pepper will interact with passengers using an inbuilt tablet, where travellers will find an interactive station map, information about the on board experience, as well as a wealth of destination tips for Paris, Brussels, Lille and Amsterdam.
 
Perrine Allain, Head of Digital at Eurostar, said:
“We are always looking for new ways to innovate, and explore technologies that can help enhance the overall customer experience. Pepper offers a fun way for customers to find out more about their journey and destination, and we look forward to hearing the feedback from our customers so that we can continue to improve their experience.”
 
The addition of Pepper is one of a range of technological innovations that Eurostar has committed to in order to enhance the customer experience. Later this month, the business is launching Alexa skill, with passengers able to link Alexa to their Eurostar account to track their travel plans and find out the lowest available fare to Paris.
 
Pepper will be located at St. Pancras International for the rest of this year, with plans to re-locate to one of the high-speed rail operators other locations in 2019.  For more information visit www.eurostar.com
 
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Notes to Editors
For more information, interviews, filming or photography requests, please contact the Eurostar press office:
 
020 7843 5500
press.office@eurostar.co.uk
 
 
About Eurostar

• Eurostar is the high-speed train service linking St Pancras International, Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International, Paris, Brussels, Lille, Calais, Disneyland Resort Paris, Lyon, Avignon, Marseille, the French Alps, Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
• From its early days of operation Eurostar has championed the environmental benefits of high speed rail and the switch to sustainable modes of transport for short haul travel. A Eurostar journey from London to Amsterdam emits 80% less carbon than the equivalent short haul flight making it a clear choice for the future of travel in Europe.
• Customers travelling by Eurostar can enjoy a range of benefits including:

• Seamless city centre to city centre travel, with stations located in the heart of our destinations
• Comfort and space on board to work or unwind with wifi connectivity and onboard entertainment
• Fast and convenient check-in - passengers are asked to arrive only 30 minutes before departure
• Generous, free-of-charge baggage allowance with each passenger allowed 2 bags/suitcases and 1 piece of hand luggage
• No queues or baggage reclaim upon arrival - simply take your bag with you on board

• Eurostar’s Business Premier service offers the highest standards in short-haul business travel.  With flexible fares up to departure, Business Premier customers enjoy 10 minute express check-in, exclusive access to the business lounges as well as complimentary drinks and fine dining in the comfort of their seat.

 
About SoftBank Robotics
SoftBank Robotics is driving technology forward by becoming a worldwide leader in robotics. SoftBank Robotics regroups more than 500 employees working in Paris, Tokyo, San Francisco, Boston and Shanghai. Over 25 000 SoftBank Robotics robots, NAO and Pepper, are used in more than 70 countries worldwide and offer innovative applications relevant for the fields of retail, tourism, healthcare or education.
 
For more information: www.softbankrobotics.com/emea
 
About Robots of London
Robots of London is one of the U.K and Europe’s leading robotics companies. We work with multi-national organizations and smaller operations to bring innovation and unparalleled service to a range of sectors, in locations across the globe.
 
Our team of developers set the standard for a number of ‘off the shelf’ software solutions for Pepper the Robot as well as NAO, and we are additionally able to develop bespoke software for hospitality, property, healthcare and retail.
 
Robots of London is proud to be licensed partners with SoftBank Robotics; developing software for Pepper, as well as being a UK and Ireland reseller.
 
For more information, please visit:  www.robotsoflondon.co.uk