UK to Europe changing at Lille - possible destinations

[HST43257]

I assume there have been threads on this before this, so move/delete as appropriate

Let’s have a scenario where Eurostar run services to Paris nonstop and services to Brussels calling at Lille at least 1tp2h. That feels like the sensible way to open up the rest of France (+ more?) to the UK rail market in the absence of any customs/security change. Currently Lille has services to Marseille, Rennes, Strasbourg, Montpellier and Nantes, I believe. And I understand that some of these come from Brussels.

So my question is basically, if the market from London was more targeted onto these services, what expansions could take place and what journeys may be possible? And the key question is how many of these services could be justified based on the combined traffic from Brussels, Lille, London, Marne-la-Vallee and Paris CDG?

For example, could the number of trains from Brussels and Lille to Strasbourg rise from 2tpd, and could they be extended to Colmar, Basel and Zurich? Could some of the quite frequent (worst gap is 2h) Marseille trains be extended to Nice? Could a Montpellier train be extended to Barcelona or even Madrid? Could new services that exist from Paris be justified, like to Milan (any route) or Geneva/Lausanne or Bordeaux/Hendaye? Could the Lille-Lyon change be marketed as a different option?

 

[FlyingPotato]

I assume there have been threads on this before this, so move/delete as appropriate

Let’s have a scenario where Eurostar run services to Paris nonstop and services to Brussels calling at Lille at least 1tp2h. That feels like the sensible way to open up the rest of France (+ more?) to the UK rail market. Currently Lille has services to Marseille, Rennes, Strasbourg, Montpellier and Nantes, I believe. And I understand that some of these come from Brussels.

So my question is basically, if the market from London was more targeted onto these services, what expansions could take place and what journeys may be possible? And the key question is how many of these services could be justified based on the combined traffic from Brussels, Lille, London, Marne-la-Vallee and Paris CDG?

For example, could the number of trains from Brussels and Lille to Strasbourg rise from 2tpd, and could they be extended to Colmar, Basel and Zurich? Could some of the quite frequent (worst gap is 2h) Marseille trains be extended to Nice? Could a Montpellier train be extended to Barcelona or even Madrid? Could new services that exist from Paris be justified, like to Milan (any route) or Geneva/Lausanne or Bordeaux/Hendaye? Could the Lille-Lyon change be marketed as a different option?

I think in the past the Marseille trains used to run all the way to Nice

However, I would say that if these connections were promoted and increased, I would like to see duplexes run on the route. While I enjoy the TGV 'Network', they have a terrible capacity

 

[Nottingham59]

Currently (I assume) passengers heading for London and changing at Lille will have to get off their train, lug their suitcases to the end of the platform, go through French and British border controls, queue, and then walk all the way back to another platform to board the train to London. This is all because the British government won't allow on-board border checks on the train.

I'm wondering if the station layout at Lille would allow, or could be made to allow, an easier and quicker transfer between trains arriving from Europe and the train heading to London?

 

[30907]

Currently (I assume) passengers heading for London and changing at Lille will have to get off their train, lug their suitcases to the end of the platform

Lille-Europe is a through station - the lifts and escalators (4 sets IIRC) are well spaced, though the ES departure area is at one end. I haven't found it particularly problematic.

I'm wondering if the station layout at Lille would allow, or could be made to allow, an easier and quicker transfer between trains arriving from Europe and the train heading to London?

Not without changing the security and passport arrangements, sadly.

On the general topic - the existing Interconnexion services do a lot of business at CdG, and I doubt there would be much market from Italy, Spain or Switzerland, so I suspect international services from Lille (Brussels apart) are unlikely.

There was at one time a service to/from Dijon, but I think that preceded TGV-Est which may have picked up some of the traffic. I would certainly like to see another Strasbourg service (Basle would be even better but...) - there were 3tpd pre Covid briefly. Geneva would seem an obvious possibility.

 

[Llanigraham]

Currently (I assume) passengers heading for London and changing at Lille will have to get off their train, lug their suitcases to the end of the platform, go through French and British border controls, queue, and then walk all the way back to another platform to board the train to London. This is all because the British government won't allow on-board border checks on the train.

I'm wondering if the station layout at Lille would allow, or could be made to allow, an easier and quicker transfer between trains arriving from Europe and the train heading to London?

We changed twice at Lille this year, onto and from the Avignon/Marseille train, and found it was no problem at all, and there was no hassle with immigration control.