Potential post-COVID Eurostar Timetables

[AverageTD]

If Eurostar actually manage to survive the pandemic, I'm sure they'll be eager to get as many passengers back on the trains ASAP. Providing the EU and UK measures + vaccination programmes actually work, what sort of timetable could we see by Summer time. Will it be a stripped back version of the 2019 Summer timetable or could this be the time where Eurostar go for a complete reshuffle of timetables to better suit the demand?

Given all the talk about bankruptcy, there's been very little talk on what their next steps would be after the pandemic. What do you all think would be the most likely outcome?

Edit: Just seen the French government are giving some more financial support!

 

[30907]

We know Marseille isn't running and ISTR Ashford won't be served either(?).
Whether the Disney service will run I imagine depends on Disney!

Otherwise, I imagine they will be keen to reinstate Amsterdam services, but I would have thought broadly a slimmed down version of 2019, with Brussels basically 2-hourly.

I am not sure what a major recast would look like, and there probably isn't time to do it for this summer (the Brussels service would be better 1/2 hour earlier both ways for German connections but ...).

 

[AverageTD]

We know Marseille isn't running and ISTR Ashford won't be served either(?).
Whether the Disney service will run I imagine depends on Disney!

Otherwise, I imagine they will be keen to reinstate Amsterdam services, but I would have thought broadly a slimmed down version of 2019, with Brussels basically 2-hourly.

I am not sure what a major recast would look like, and there probably isn't time to do it for this summer (the Brussels service would be better 1/2 hour earlier both ways for German connections but ...).

ES have confirmed the Disney service to start in June, but have kept quiet about other services. I'm hoping it hints at a timetable increase along the rest of the network too. I'd agree that the Brussels timings need rethinking, also quite inconvenient for TGV connections at Lille.

 

[Ianno87]

Otherwise, I imagine they will be keen to reinstate Amsterdam services, but I would have thought broadly a slimmed down version of 2019, with Brussels basically 2-hourly.

Amsterdam services have been reinstated as 1 train per day (with the return working introduced in October).

Is an encouraging sign of the potential that Eurostar see in the route.

Makes you wonder if there's any real point in Brussels terminators any more, or whether having the whole service based around through Amsterdam operation might work better.

 

[davetheguard]

I presume there will be a lot of train crew who have probably not worked a train for months and will need route refresher training. Whatever the commercial requirements are, there will need to be a phased gradual step up of train frequency as a result.

 

[cakefiend]

I presume there will be a lot of train crew who have probably not worked a train for months and will need route refresher training. Whatever the commercial requirements are, there will need to be a phased gradual step up of train frequency as a result.

Eurostar seem to be having crews working a couple of days per month, with the rest of the time on furlough to try and avoid the need for that.

 

[JonathanP]

Since there is a sperate Dutch driver pool who only work Brussels - Amsterdam, I suspect that this alone guarantees the Brussels services will continue to run through to Amsterdam throughout the lockdown.

 

[DanielB]

I wouldn't be so sure about the Amsterdam Eurostar services continueing to run through to Amsterdam in the coming weeks. As of tomorrow entering The Netherlands by plane or ferry is prohibited for passengers coming from the UK and several other countries. The COVID-webpage of the Dutch government doesn't mention a ban on travelling from the UK by train yet, but that's probably a matter of time (its already not allowed to enter Belgium coming from the UK by train on non-essential journeys).

 

[Ianno87]

I wouldn't be so sure about the Amsterdam Eurostar services continueing to run through to Amsterdam in the coming weeks. As of tomorrow entering The Netherlands by plane or ferry is prohibited for passengers coming from the UK and several other countries. The COVID-webpage of the Dutch government doesn't mention a ban on travelling from the UK by train yet, but that's probably a matter of time (its already not allowed to enter Belgium coming from the UK by train on non-essential journeys).

Alternatively, it may just be easier for Eurostar to keep running one train per day to keep crew competency up, otherwise the pool of Brussels-Amsterdam crew will lose competency, which will just cost money to regain later.

Plus there's always traffic the other way too.

 

[biko]

Alternatively, it may just be easier for Eurostar to keep running one train per day to keep crew competency up, otherwise the pool of Brussels-Amsterdam crew will lose competency, which will just cost money to regain later.

Plus there's always traffic the other way too.

I believe the trains are crewed by NS International staff between Amsterdam and Brussels who also do other international trains (Thalys and IC Amsterdam-Brussels), so that probably shouldn't be a problem.