Evolyn: High-Speed Rail Startup Challenging Eurostar

Eurostar's three-decade cross-Channel rail monopoly faces imminent competition from Evolyn, its high-speed rival set to launch services by 2025.

This ambitious startup, eying a London-to-Paris cross-Channel route, has declared it could acquire up to 16 trains from Alstom, a renowned French rolling stock manufacturer, though specifics remain undisclosed.

The investment backing the £1 billion (€1.16 bn) Evolyn venture comprises a consortium featuring French and British industrialists, investment funds, financiers, seasoned railway experts, and global backers keen on the project. These key investors have yet to be officially unveiled, pending finalization.

Jorge Cosmen, CEO of Evolyn, hails from the prominent Spanish industrialist family with substantial interests in the UK's Mobico, once National Express. However, Mobico has disassociated itself from the Evolyn consortium.

Eurostar, a prosperous London-mainland Europe high-speed rail connector, reported a record core profit of €332 million in 2022. Nonetheless, its popular London-Netherlands route may face a suspension in June 2024 due to Dutch capital railway station renovations.

Getlink, the French operator of the Channel Tunnel infrastructure, perceives Evolyn's announcement as testament to the cross-Channel passenger rail market's growth potential, considering that the infrastructure can handle nearly double the current rail traffic.

Evolyn's plans encompass a non-stop London St Pancras International to Paris Nord service, with potential stops in northern France in the future. Although discussions for track access rights are underway, no additional routes are under consideration at this early stage.

Source: euronews.com