Eurostar (or others) to Heathrow?

[signed]

With the scrapped HS1-HS2 link it's now ultra unrealistic, but assuming HS1-HS2 link were to have gone ahead and GWML (Great Western Main Line)-HS2 HS links were constructed.

With a HAA (Heathow Airport Authority)-BA/AF (British Airways/Air France)-National Rail deal, surely that's a no-brainer

For the gov :
- Shows massive ecological credentials

For Heathrow :
- Basically overnight cut (Yes, there would still be flights, but not 180 per week) 91 flights per way per week from the slots (and cash)
- Finally be a push to put the Heathrow Rail complex up to capacity now that it drowns under 6tph EL and 4tph HX

For the airlines :
- Relocate resources and planes elsewhere

For Eurostar :
- New market to crack
- Better connectivity

For the passengers :
- Could do a sleek direct airside transit, only passing French passport controls, from arrivals to all Eurostar destinations and further.
- And with the lack of UK Exit passport control, no controls the other way.
- Arrive directly in Lille/Paris/Brussels/Amsterdam city centers and not Paris Charles de Gaulle.

Even more crayon, you could have such a link with other rail-connected airports on the continent

 

[Sad Sprinter]

I wondered that recently. What if they built HS1 with the Kings Cross Low Level station with the final Eurostar terminus being Heathrow. Would have created a useful springboard for a high speed line northwards too. I wonder if the Low Level station could have been more realistic if they shaved off the platforms for what would become the Javelin services.

 

[Bald Rick]

It would be a phenomenal amount of money to save a few return flights a day.

 

[cle]

Also easier to test in reverse (not BA's preference I'm sure) - by calling at Schiphol or CDG (if Disney/other reinstated) - and test the English willingness to 'connect' by train into AF/KL.

Schiphol is further, but is really our second hub airport, let's be real.

 

[BlueLeanie]

How long are the "secret" platforms at Heathrow T5?

Or better to build as part of a T1 rebuild?

 

[Bald Rick]

How long are the "secret" platforms at Heathrow T5?

The same as the non-secret platforms.

The rebuild of T1 - which in reality is the extenson of T2 - will not touch the existing CTA station.

 

[signed]

It would be a phenomenal amount of money to save a few return flights a day.

Not if it was planned from the get go, if that materialized before T5 opening, that could have been a good thing

 

[Bald Rick]

Not if it was planned from the get go, if that materialized before T5 opening, that could have been a good thing

T5 opened in 2008. The plans were finalised in 1995, with the consent process following.

Besides, it would be largely irrelevant. Putting a high speed line from HS2 into Heathrow and linking HS2 and HS1 would be a large amount of money regardless of whether provision had been made in the T5 rebuild or not (which it couldnt have been unless the development process for HS2 started around 15 years earlier than it was).

 

[A S Leib]

Schiphol is further, but is really our second hub airport, let's be real.

Especially as Schiphol has direct flights to Teesside, Humberside, Liverpool, Bristol, Cardiff and Southampton whilst Heathrow doesn't, which might be easier / preferable than getting to Heathrow (or Manchester, Newcastle etc.) in some cases.

 

[popeter45]

what would have been intresting idea if eurostar went to heathrow could have been how to share security checks and the dynamic there
reducing operating costs of euro services so potential for more destinations/operators
potential to use Kings cross (albiet as a larger facility) as a city centre terminal for heathrow
if air-rail transfers can avoid UK customs could codeshare and promote airlines to base out of heathrow more as euro customers can connect to european citys via transfer to eurostar at heathrow

such an idea would prob need a rethink of how heathrow works to have a shengen terminal and non-shengen terminal

 

[Bald Rick]

if air-rail transfers can avoid UK customs

How would they do that?

could codeshare and promote airlines to base out of heathrow more as euro customers can connect to european citys via transfer to eurostar at heathrow

But there are already far more air-air city connections at LHR than Eurostar could ever do. Why would any other airline base out if Heathrow if Eurostar served it?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Nov 2024 ==

such an idea would prob need a rethink of how heathrow works to have a shengen terminal and non-shengen terminal

That would completely screw up LHR, given that by far the majority of transfers are from Schengen to Non Schengen (esp North America).

 

[popeter45]

How would they do that?

treat the eurostar as if its a plane, same terminal and go thru same security as flying passengers to the same airside facilties, treat the platforms as if they are airbridge gates

That would completely screw up LHR, given that by far the majority of transfers are from Schengen to Non Schengen (esp North America).

same setup as schiphol for transfers, go thru shengen controls at the airport at a terminal boarder

eurostar already acts like an airline so may as well make it official

 

[signed]

But there are already far more air-air city connections at LHR than Eurostar could ever do.

The goal would have been to have more convenient connections, of course a plane can go a lot more places than a plane.

If you can pass security at Paris, then end up right at your outbound plane gate having had all formalities done, you basically have lost no time compared to the 3h recommended for a international flight.

In a minor sense, Air France/KLM sells integrated train+air tickets from Brussels to Paris CDG and Orly (with a Taxi from Massy TGV) (through a specially affreted TGV) or to Schipol (through Eurostar Red) and it's used enough to stay (as KLM blocks seats on Thaly's for their passengers, Though it's only daily).

In the Brussels to Paris case, your bag is even checked in at Brussels and you don't have to carry it through the airport.

I could very well see something like this.

 

[Bald Rick]

If you can pass security at Paris, then end up right at your outbound plane gate having had all formalities done, you basically have lost no time compared to the 3h recommended for a international flight.

You can do that now, and lots of people do.