Eurostar reported a record June for passenger traffic with more than one million travelling in the month, up 6.5% on June 2017 and the rail operator’s second busiest-ever month.
Passenger numbers in the first six months of the year were up 3% on 2017 to 5.2 million, with the launch of Eurostar London-Amsterdam services on April 4 boosting traffic.
Getlink, parent company of Eurostar and Eurotunnel, reported a 2% increase in car traffic on passenger shuttles to 1.16 million in the half year, but a 2% decline in coaches using the service to 27,274.
The group dismissed concerns about the impact of Brexit, saying it remains “confident in its capacity to generate sustainable growth”.
Getlink reported a 4% increase in revenue year on year in the six months to €510 million and a 5% rise in operating profit to €250 million, with net profit up 15% to €39 million.
Eurotunnel, which includes Shuttle services and Eurostar trains, contributed the lion’s share of revenue (€450 million) and operating profit (€247 million).
In a statement, the company said: “The launch of the new service between London and Amsterdam confirms the potential for growth of the rail transport market between the UK and the Continent.”
It suggested “The Fixed Link [Channel Tunnel] will increasingly assert itself as the principle choice for trade and movement of people between the UK and continental Europe.
“Since 2016, the group has been in constant contact with the French and British authorities and other stakeholders to be informed of potential changes to the framework for future cross-border controls.
“The group remains confident in its ability – once the arrangements have been agreed – to deliver the solutions required to enable it to guarantee the fluidity of traffic through the Tunnel.”
Getlink chairman and chief executive Jacques Gounon hailed growth in revenues and operating profit “for the ninth consecutive first half”.
The group forecast a full-year operating profit of €545 million in 2018 and said operating profits “should exceed €735 million in 2022”.