Eurostar, SBB and SNCF Sign MoU for Direct Switzerland-London Rail Services

Eurostar, Switzerland's SBB and France's SNCF Voyageurs signed a memorandum of understanding on May 11 to develop direct train services between Switzerland and London.

The agreement formalizes cooperation between three national operators to plan an international high-speed route with projected journey times of 5 to 6 hours. Implementation depends on infrastructure readiness, intergovernmental agreements and rolling stock availability, with the earliest potential service launch in the 2030s. The MoU represents the first formal step toward establishing a London-Switzerland rail corridor that would bypass current transfer requirements in Paris.

The service would require coordination across multiple rail networks and regulatory regimes. Eurostar operates high-speed services through the Channel Tunnel linking the United Kingdom with France, Belgium and the Netherlands. SBB manages Switzerland's national railway network, while SNCF Voyageurs operates long-distance passenger services across France including TGV high-speed trains. The three operators must align technical standards, customs procedures and commercial terms before service can begin.

Current rail journeys between London and Swiss cities require at least one change in Paris, with total travel times exceeding 7 hours. A direct service would compete with air travel on routes including London-Zurich and London-Geneva, both of which have journey times under 2 hours by plane but require airport access and security processing. The MoU follows expansion of cross-border high-speed services elsewhere in Europe, including Eurostar's 2022 launch of direct London-Amsterdam services that eliminated a mandatory stop in Brussels for UK-bound passengers.