DB and Eurostar lay the groundwork for a direct connection from Germany to London
posted on 5th Dec 2025 12:13
Deutsche Bahn and Eurostar are taking the next step towards a direct high-speed rail connection between Germany and London. In a Memorandum of Understanding signed in early December, both companies announced their intention to explore options to jointly offer a direct long-distance service between London and major German cities, such as Köln and Frankfurt.
Eurostar will contribute its expertise in cross-Channel rail travel, while DB will bring its network and presence across Germany. The launch, which would use Eurostar’s new Celestia fleet, is targeted for the early 2030s, provided that the necessary technical, operational, and legal conditions are met.
Michael Peterson, Member of the Management Board for Long Distance Passenger Transport at DB: “Europe is coming together ever more closely by rail. In cooperation with Eurostar, we also want to bring Germany and the UK closer together at high speed. We are convinced of the great potential of such a direct connection. However, this project also shows that new cross-border long-distance services are often only possible through partnerships like this, due to complex framework conditions.”
Gwendoline Cazenave, CEO Eurostar: "We’re thrilled to kick off this partnership with DB. It’s a big step towards making travel between London and Germany more sustainable and effortless. By combining Eurostar’s cross-channel know-how and new fleet with DB’s strong presence in Germany, we’re creating a whole new level of connectivity and convenience for our customers. This partnership will help continue to power Eurostar’s growth and bring us closer to our goal of carrying 30 million passengers across our network."
DB and Eurostar welcome the strong political support for a future direct connection between the UK and Germany, particularly as reflected in the treaty on Friendship and Bilateral Cooperation signed on 17 July by the German Federal Chancellor and the UK Prime Minister. As a measure arising from this treaty, ministries of both countries have set up a task force aimed at jointly addressing the political challenges for a direct link between Germany and London, especially regarding entry formalities and the necessary infrastructure and intergovernmental agreements.
