8 June 2016

Platform pitch arrives at St Pancras International

Green carpet rolled out on Eurostar platform as almost a million passengers head to France
 
Eurostar partnered with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) today to give football fans a ‘green carpet’ send off and wish supporters a successful trip as they make their way to the Euro 2016 tournament.
 
A Eurostar platform at London’s St Pancras International has been transformed into a mini football pitch, as almost a million passengers are set to travel by Eurostar during the ‘Euros’. The busiest day for Eurostar travel is 10th June, with over 30,000 passengers travelling, as the hosts kick off the tournament in the Stade de France.
 
The FCO and Eurostar waved off the first set of fans this morning, inviting them to set foot on the turf and share pre-travel pictures to show which team they’re supporting.
 
Martin Redmond from the FCO’s ‘Know Before You Go’ team , says: “With thousands of home nation fans set to pass through St Pancras during the next few weeks, we wanted to make sure fans kick off their trip the right way. That’s why we’re rolling out the green carpet today to provide a final reminder to everyone to enjoy a safe and successful trip to the Euros – regardless of their team’s results!”
 
All travelling fans should ensure they’re well prepared by following our tips at gov.uk/euro2016. In France, they can keep up to date by signing up to our travel advice alerts.
 
With direct high-speed travel from London to Lille, Paris, Lyon and Marseille, Eurostar is well-placed to carry football supporters from across the UK to cheer on their team this summer.
 
Nick Mercer, Commercial Director, Eurostar, says: “Euro 2016 gives football fans from across the UK
a great opportunity to visit some of France’s most impressive destinations. With many of the host cities only a short train journey away, fans can sit back and relax on our new fleet of trains complete with WiFi and onboard entertainment to help them keep up with the latest scores.”
 
Throughout Euro 2016, Eurostar will be running a variety of activities #forthefans. Football tables will be set up at stations, along with pre-match interview fan zones, giveaways and a special on board menu. A Eurostar squad of experts will be kitted out with tips and advice for fans making their way to stadiums.
 
Visit http://football.eurostar.com/ and fco.go.uk/Euro2016 for more information.
 
-ENDS-
 
About Eurostar
  1. Eurostar is the high-speed train service linking St Pancras International, Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International, Paris, Brussels, Lille, Calais, Disneyland Resort Paris, Avignon and the French Alps.
  2. Eurostar was established in 1994 as a partnership between three railway companies: SNCF, SNCB and LCR (London and Continental Railways). On 1 September 2010, Eurostar became a single, unified corporate entity owned by three shareholders: SNCF, SNCB and LCR. LCR’s holding was transferred to the Treasury in 2014, and sold by the UK government to a consortium comprising Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec (CDPQ) and Hermes Infrastructure on 28th May 2015.
  3. The current Eurostar train was first introduced into service in 1994 carrying 750 passengers and operating at speeds of up to 300kph.  Since then, the fleet of 28 trains has carried more than 140 million passengers between London and the Continent.  Following their refurbishment these trains will continue to form a core part of the Eurostar fleet.  The new Eurostar e320 will carry around 900 passengers at speeds of up to 320kph.
  4. Eurostar is a founder member of Railteam, a partnership between Europe’s leading high-speed train operators that is developing simpler ways to book and travel on the fast-expanding, European high-speed rail network.
  5. Eurostar and Eurotunnel are entirely separate companies.  Eurostar operates high-speed passenger trains, while Eurotunnel operates vehicle shuttle services and the Channel Tunnel itself. Eurostar is Eurotunnel’s biggest customer.
 
For more information:
Eurostar Press Office 
020 7843 5500
press.office@eurostar.com