This Fall, the Eurostar "Chunnel Train" will reduce travel times between London and Paris.

This Fall, the Eurostar "Chunnel Train" will reduce travel times between London and Paris.

Passengers on the Eurostar are scheduled to get a service update in November. During this time period, the famed English Channel Tunnel train begins to move at a quicker rate. The arrival of the United Kingdom's first truly high-speed line has been eagerly awaited. It claims to provide a more environmentally friendly and comfortable travel experience, as well as quicker travel times between Southeast England and Europe.

Since Eurostar began operating direct passenger train service between London and Brussels and Paris more than a decade ago, the service has grown significantly. The railway has now risen to become the main mode of transport between the United Kingdom and the Continent, outpacing both channel ferries and air travel in terms of passenger numbers. The under-sea shuttle is expected to become even more popular in the future, thanks to the construction of a new high-speed railway between London and the coast, which will reduce journey times by at least 20 minutes.

The project is known as High Speed 1 (HS1), which is a 68-mile-long (109-kilometer-long) fast track originally known as the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. The route, which has been in the works for more than a decade, will allow Eurostar to travel at speeds of up to 186 mph/300 km/h. On a practical level, this implies that London to Paris Gare du Nord takes two and a quarter hours, with stops in Brussels and other cities taking even less time. Additionally, for the first time, early morning trains will allow business travelers from the United Kingdom to arrive in Paris, Brussels, or Lille in time to complete a full day's work.

Eurostar will relocate its Waterloo terminus at London's South Bank to the beautifully refurbished St. Pancras Station in King's Cross, which will serve as the line's starting point. St. Pancras, coupled with the nearby King's Cross and Euston Stations, will constitute a transportation hub befitting the twenty-first century capital of the world. The high-speed Eurostar trains will connect with six Underground (Tube) lines and trains from Edinburgh, Newcastle, Brighton and the east coast starting in November.

HS1 is expected to be a godsend for commuters in the south-east suburbs who want to skip the arduous journey into the capital.

In addition to a long-term car park, the new station at Ebbsfleet, which is slated to open within days of the HS1 launch in November, will be serviced by high-frequency shuttles to local train stations as well as to the neighboring Bluewater retail center. While a second station in Stratford is expected to be operational in time for the 2012 Olympics, the current station at Ashford will continue to service international travelers.

High-speed service from London is not only available to Paris and Brussels, but also to other European cities. Depending on one's starting location, a day in Calais — with its budget shopping and genuine bistros — may be completed in an hour or less depending on traffic. Lille, a historic urbanity with a youthful and cosmopolitan air, and Disneyland Resort Paris are all within minutes of the hotel. Seasonal runs take you to the Alpine slopes in the winter and to the sun-drenched Provence in the summer.

The Eurostar journey starts with a visit to the station. Check-in processes that are quick and secure have taken the place of the lengthy waits that are traditionally associated with plane travel. Departure lounges provide a variety of services and facilities that are similar to those found at an airport. Once aboard, customized coaches are available to meet the specific demands of executive and leisure travelers, and all coaches include roomy layouts and comfortable seats for all passengers. There are many different service levels available, ranging from economy to a selection of first class alternatives.

Speed, convenience, and comfort are just a few of the aspects of the Eurostar journey that are worth remembering. According to an independent research, passengers who fly emit 10 times the amount of greenhouse gas emissions as those who travel by high-speed train or other modes of transportation. And, owing to HS1, Eurostar is committed to attaining "carbon neutrality" by 2012, which will be achieved by cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 25 percent.

Eurostar HS1 service will begin on Wednesday, November 14, 2007, however first-day tickets are already sold out, so if you haven't already booked your trip, you'll need to make some adjustments to your schedule (trains will continue to serve Waterloo through 13 November).

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