One of the key benefits of moving Eurostar from Waterloo to St Pancras is that the Channel Tunnel rail service has been opened up to the whole of the UK.
At least that is the line being spun by Eurostar bosses keen to fend of criticism that they have made Eurostar more inaccessible for passengers who live in south London.
Instead of having to get to Waterloo, which was easy as it’s where inbound south-west trains terminate, these passengers now have to trudge across London with their luggage to get to St Pancras.
For most, it probably makes more sense to drive to the new Eurostar station at Ebbsfleet or Ashford International and catch the train from there. That makes the Eurostar option less environmentally friendly – and that is also one of the key benefits being sold to potential users.
That journey across London is the same one people living north of London had to make if they wanted to use Eurostar when it operated from Waterloo.
The question is whether the move north really has made the Channel Tunnel train a more attractive option for people living in cities such as Manchester, Newcastle and Glasgow.
Eurostar spokesman Tom Parker admitted the train wasn’t always faster for people travelling from these cities, but said delays at UK airports, lost luggage and concern for the environment would drive traffic to the Channel Tunnel rail service.
He said: “The train might mean a longer journey but we believe the quality of the travel experience is also important. The train is more relaxed, there is just a 30-minute check-in and you can walk around on board.”
He added that the train has a 92% punctuality record and has been shown to be 10 times greener per passenger than the airlines.
To enhance its green image, on the day of its move to St Pancras Eurostar launched a “tread lightly” carbon neutral scheme at no cost to passengers.
Eurostar has also teamed up with the train operating companies to offer through fares from 68 towns and cities in the UK.
Parker said: “We believe the potential catchment area from St Pancras is vast, as far north as Scotland. Passengers can now get from Edinburgh to Paris, using GNER and Eurostar, in seven hours, 30 minutes for £89 return.”
An easyJet spokeswoman said bookings have actually increased since November 14, when Eurostar moved to North London, even at London Luton, which is in the same immediate catchment area at St Pancras.
She said: “Taking a train from Newcastle or Scotland to Paris is not a viable option because it takes half a day to get there.
“If our passengers check-in online and have no luggage they can turn up half an hour before the flight and go straight through security to the gate. It’s perfect for business travellers.”
Flybe chief commercial officer Mike Rutter said: “Our flights to Paris continue to be extremely popular with passengers wanting convenient, affordable door-to-door regional travel between the UK and France.
“Due to customer demand, we have announced additional routes to Paris as part of our summer 2008 schedule.”
SeaFrance sales director Bill Laidlaw said the new Eurostar service is not a direct competitor. He said: “It doesn’t make any difference to us whether Eurostar operates from St Pancras or Waterloo. The main competitor for rail is the airlines, as it always has been.”
Jet2.com chairman and chief executive Philip Meeson said the airline is enjoying strong sales to Paris from Leeds and Manchester.
“Our customers appreciate having direct flights from their local airports, so they don’t have to travel to London in order to visit Paris. We anticipate demand continuing to grow as more people from the North of England realise how quickly and cheaply they can fly to Paris with us.”
