Eurostar during busy times

[Citybreak1]

Most of time I travel it’s very quiet in coaches with the Olympics and Euros next year in Germany it may be very busy? Just wondering what it’s like during large events like tonight Newcastle in Paris? Is check in much longer? Do they put on extra trains?

 

[mad_rich]

You can expect it to be busy, especially since there will probably be a high percentage of 'unsophisticated' travellers, who always slower through check in & security. But Eurostar will have all hands on deck to manage the queues.

I imagine they will pull out all the stops to add extra services, but only if they believe the terminal has capacity. Perhaps they will sacrifice a Brussels departure for a Paris one during Olympics (and vice versa for the Euros).

The real problems come if there's disruption and every train is full for a week...

 

[Trainbike46]

You can expect it to be busy, especially since there will probably be a high percentage of 'unsophisticated' travellers, who always slower through check in & security. But Eurostar will have all hands on deck to manage the queues.

I imagine they will pull out all the stops to add extra services, but only if they believe the terminal has capacity. Perhaps they will sacrifice a Brussels departure for a Paris one during Olympics (and vice versa for the Euros).

The real problems come if there's disruption and every train is full for a week...

As it this will be during the Amsterdam closure, they may well decide to run exra Paris services instead of the Amsterdam ones on the busiest days as well.

They may also try to start earlier and end later if things like railway closure periods and staff availability allow

 

[GWVillager]

As it this will be during the Amsterdam closure, they may well decide to run exra Paris services instead of the Amsterdam ones on the busiest days as well.

They may also try to start earlier and end later if things like railway closure periods and staff availability allow

The Amsterdam services are just Brussels extensions, so you’d have to sacrifice Brussels trains for that too.

 

[mad_rich]

I guess Eurostar already have the paths for (currently unused) services?

But they would need staff and train availability, as well as sufficient platform and terminal capacity.

 

[Flying Snail]

Shortage of border staff to process additional passengers seems to be a big sticking point with some trains currently not being fully sold at certain times so until that is sorted there is little prospect of extra services.

 

[Trainbike46]

Shortage of border staff to process additional passengers seems to be a big sticking point with some trains currently not being fully sold at certain times so until that is sorted there is little prospect of extra services.

Reports say that is no longer true, and all trains can be sold out completely now, as discussed in this thread: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/eurostar-lifts-cap-on-passengers-at-st-pancras.255973/

Regardless of border capacity, running more Paris services at the cost of Brussels/Amsterdam services is certainly possible

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Reports say that is no longer true, and all trains can be sold out completely now, as discussed in this thread: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/eurostar-lifts-cap-on-passengers-at-st-pancras.255973/

Regardless of border capacity, running more Paris services at the cost of Brussels/Amsterdam services is certainly possible

Perhaps they can reassemble the class 373s they had ripped apart hastily to provide extra capacity.

 

[nwales58]

Perhaps they can reassemble the class 373s they had ripped apart hastily ...

Those are already claimed by the next over-hyped new entrant so that their services can start on 01/04/2024 in time for the Olympics etc.

 

[Trainbike46]

Perhaps they can reassemble the class 373s they had ripped apart hastily to provide extra capacity.

I'm pretty sure eurostar's cross-channel services aren't limited by rolling stock availability