The agreement marks the first step of a larger program that envisions a total of 50 trainsets by 2030, with a total investment of €2 billion. Eurostar CEO Gwendoline Cazenave stated that “the process of renewing the fleet is now in full swing” and that this order “marks a new chapter in Eurostar’s history.”
The new Celestia trainsets are based on the same platform as SNCF’s new TGV M and feature full interoperability, allowing them to operate across various European rail networks and signaling systems, including the UK network.
They will be certified to run in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom, making them the first double-decker trains ever to pass through the Channel Tunnel.
Thanks to improved aerodynamics and the use of lighter materials, the new trains will consume up to 50% less energy. This supports Eurostar’s strategy for net-zero carbon emissions and further promotes train travel as a sustainable alternative to air transport in Europe.
According to the company, with greater capacity, lower energy consumption, and the ability to cross different networks, the new double-decker trains herald a new era for Eurostar—greener, more modern, and more international than ever before.
