SBB signs agreement for direct train to London from Switzerland

SBB, SNCF Voyageurs and Eurostar have signed a memorandum of understanding, inching closer to a direct train from Switzerland to London becoming a reality.

London-Switzerland train route reaches “important milestone”

After the UK and Swiss governments signed an agreement to launch a direct train route from Switzerland to London last year, major public transport operators have now followed suit. The Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), French-owned SNCF Voyageurs and Eurostar have added to the Cooperation Agreement signed in March and have now signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU). 

This “marks an important milestone” in the years-long discussion about how to connect Swiss cities and London via high-speed rail, SBB wrote in a press release.

The MoU outlines how the companies will cooperate to establish a new direct train route, with the first step being to analyse potential timetables and how the train would operate. After that, project steps and milestones will be explored. 

SBB, SNCF Voyageurs and Eurostar have more to do

Demand for a Switzerland-London train route has been growing in recent years, with London taking the top spot as the most popular flight destination from Switzerland. In 2023, there were preliminary discussions about launching a new rail service, with Eurostar expressing commitment to developing direct connections between Geneva and London.

Despite the positive development, there’s still some way to go before a direct train materialises. For example, the companies need to work through infrastructure requirements, border crossings, as well as train availability and routes. 

However, the rail operators have reassured travellers that they are “continuously driving the project forward” and see a feasible launch date “sometime in the course of the 2030s”.