Switzerland-London direct train service gets support from French operators

Possible direct train to London overcomes next hurdle Keystone-SDA

Swiss Federal Railways' ambition to connect Switzerland with London by direct train has moved a small step closer. A memorandum of understanding was signed with SNCF and Eurostar.

The letter of intent that has now been signed is an important milestone for the project. It is based on a cooperation agreement that SBB and the French SNCF Voyageurs signed back in March.

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“The signed MoU is an important milestone. The next step is to analyse potential timetables and operational concepts. The results will then be used to define the key steps and milestones in the potential introduction of such a direct connection from Switzerland to London,” said the Swiss federal railways press release.

SNCF Voyageurs already works closely with the Swiss rail company, and a direct connection to London would have to run through France. Eurostar has been operating cross Channel connections between continental Europe and the United Kingdom for more than 30 years.

A planned direct connection will enable travel times of six hours between Zurich and London, five and a half hours from Geneva and five hours from Basel, Swiss federal railways announced on Monday.

Many more hurdles

There is already a political support for the train. In May 2025, Swiss government minister Albert Rösti and British Transport Minister Heidi Alexander agreed on a corresponding intergovernmental agreement in London.

However, there are still many hurdles to overcome before a direct connection is introduced.

“These include preparing entry formalities, the required infrastructure and intergovernmental agreements as well as ensuring the availability of suitable trains and train paths. Implementation would be feasible at the earliest sometime in the course of the 2030s,” said the press release.

Adapted from German by AI/ac

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