Eurostar orders new double-deck train fleet

[williamn]

Though they’d have to sort the current fact the sets are not compliant with tunnel safety regs

 

[Snow1964]

Though they’d have to sort the current fact the sets are not compliant with tunnel safety regs

Sorry which sets are not compliant ?

As far as I am aware all the recent generation European high speed trains are designed to be compatible with long Alpine tunnels, and other upcoming undersea routes like Fehmarnbelt tunnel.

 

[zwk500]

Though they’d have to sort the current fact the sets are not compliant with tunnel safety regs

Noting the discussion on another thread starting here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...rvices-discussion.276246/page-78#post-7803342

Out of interest, which regs are the new sets non-compliant with? Presumably they don't have the CTSA certification yet but that doesn't mean they're actually non-compliant with any requirement.

 

[williamn]

I believe the issue is that the trains doors don’t line up with the evacuation exits in the tunnels. Jon Worth has written about this extensively.

 

[zwk500]

I believe the issue is that the trains doors don’t line up with the evacuation exits in the tunnels.

Which regulation is this under.

Jon Worth has written about this extensively.

Jon Worth writes about anything railways extensively. But also, that'll be fine them, because he'll have quoted the specific regulations he's writing about.

 

[swt_passenger]

I believe the issue is that the trains doors don’t line up with the evacuation exits in the tunnels. Jon Worth has written about this extensively.

That’s no longer in the regulations, it’s come up in quite a few earlier threads about the tunnel and rolling stock. The north of London sets wouldn’t have met that ‘rule’ either.

 

[williamn]

Sorry which sets are not compliant ?

The Avelia Horizon. His analysis here: https://jonworth.eu/the-avelia-hori...l-evacuation-rules-what-can-be-done-about-it/

 

[43102EMR]

Apparently the new fleet is delayed until 2034 at the earliest now!

You would’ve thought Eurostar would’ve gone for more Velaros/e320s given it’s a proven model and would’ve provided a more homogenous fleet. I understand the political motivations behind going with the Avelia Horizon, but it did seem like a large gamble given the continued issues faced by SNCF.

 

[martin2345uk]

We're gonna be driving 373s until the wheels fall off

 

[43096]

The Avelia Horizon. His analysis here: https://jonworth.eu/the-avelia-hori...l-evacuation-rules-what-can-be-done-about-it/

Why should we care what Jon Worth thinks. He's got zero railway engineering experience: "I am not really a typical railway person. I do not work for a railway operator or a manufacturer, and I have never worked for a transport ministry. My background is in European Union political communication, not railways."

 

[rvdborgt]

(remember the Düren swap, anyone?)

Oh yes, and the Horrem swap, beween different platforms, with both ICEs arriving at the same time, so all passengers have to go through the one narrow tunnel at the same time...

 

[LLivery]

Eurostar have modified it's order to enable operation in warmer weather after the heatwaves have been hitting Western Europe. Nicknamed the 'Sahara option', they're increasing the temp the trains can operate well at - from 45C to 55C, increasing air con spec, etc.

They state 10% of the fleet has been impacted by the heatwave, noting the recent Red Eurostar Thalys breakdown

Eurostar 55C train upgrade targets hotter summers​

Author: Batrak Oleksandr — Editor-in-Chief at Railway Supply
09.07.2026
Eurostar 55C train upgrade plans are aimed at ensuring key onboard systems on the operator’s future fleet of 50 double-decker trains can work in extreme heat.
The Channel Tunnel rail operator changed the terms of its ⁠agreement with French manufacturer Alstom last week, adding tougher heat-resilience requirements for equipment on the new “Celestia” trains.

The original ⁠€2bn (£1.7bn) order, announced last October, required air-conditioning and running systems to work at 45C while keeping passengers cool. Eurostar reviewed that standard after France recorded its three hottest days ever last month.

During that heatwave, more than 40pc of France experienced temperatures above 40C, while Pissos, near Bordeaux, reached 44.3C. Heat-related deaths increased by almost a third.

Eurostar 55C train upgrade follows French heat records​

Gwendoline Casenave, Eurostar’s chief executive, said the latest heatwave, Europe’s third this year, had reinforced the case for the extra investment. Temperatures again reached 40C in France this week, while London was expected to see highs of 35C on Thursday.

The decision was also linked to the fleet’s long operating life. The Celestia trains are not due for delivery until 2031 and are expected to remain in service for around 30 years, a period in which European temperatures could reach levels now associated with North Africa and Arabia, Ms Casenave said.

She told The Telegraph:

“We thought, hey, this is northern Europe – the UK, Germany, Switzerland – and in France we don’t go south of Paris, so up to 45 degrees is OK.”

“Then, a week ago, after the last heatwave, we decided to take the 55C option. We are buying trains that will last 30 years, and we thought maybe in the 2060s, even in the UK, the temperatures could reach those levels. It’s more expensive but it will be worth it.”
According to Ms Casenave, the upgraded package has been nicknamed the “Sahara option”. It will include stronger air-conditioning, as well as higher-grade components and microprocessors designed to function at elevated temperatures.

The ⁠new Celestia fleet will also mark the first use of double-decker trains in the Channel Tunnel. Each train will be able to carry more than 1,000 passengers.

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Solstice plan covers heat-related train disruption​

Eurostar has also expanded its operational preparations for extreme heat through its “solstice plan”, an emergency response framework now in its third year.

The plan was activated earlier than in previous years after forecasts pointed to unusually high spring temperatures. Those conditions led to the first heatwaves of the year in May.

Under the plan, Eurostar monitors air-conditioning and water supplies in every carriage of every train. It also reserves capacity at maintenance depots so that urgent repairs can be carried out if cooling systems fail.

Ms Casenave said:

“We’re lucky we had this plan and were prepared because the heatwave has been earlier than ever and much worse than ever.”

She said around one in 10 Eurostar trains had been affected by the heat, causing breakdowns and delays.

During last month’s heatwave, passengers were reportedly trapped for more than two hours without air conditioning on a broken-down train in Belgium. Several people became unwell before emergency services arrived and evacuated passengers onto the tracks.

Ms Casenave said Eurostar was coordinating with infrastructure providers across its network on procedures for handling the “very difficult situation” of stranded trains.

Eurostar’s Celestia programme is tied to a wider fleet expansion rather than only a heat-resilience upgrade. The operator describes the deal as a €2 billion investment in up to 50 double-decker trains, with 30 confirmed and an option for 20 more, as part of its plan to grow toward 30 million annual passengers.

The first Celestia trains are due to join the fleet in January 2031, with commercial services planned from May 2031. Once delivered, Eurostar says the new trains will operate alongside its current fleet of 17 e320s, bringing the total fleet to 67 trains. Alstom says the Avelia Horizon trainsets for Eurostar are intended to run across Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Heat also affects rail infrastructure​

She also pointed to heat-related track buckling as a particularly difficult issue. Rails can become 20C hotter than the surrounding air as they absorb sunlight. That causes the steel to expand and can make tracks buckle once gaps between rails have closed.

New metals that expand less are being developed as a possible way to address the problem across railway networks.

Eurostar 55C train upgrade targets hotter summers

Eurostar 55C train upgrade plans are aimed at ensuring key onboard systems on the operator’s future fleet of 50 double-decker trains can work in extreme heat.

www.railway.supply

Pretty fortunate that the heatwaves have hit with enough time to think ahead and upgrade on this. I assume transport operators all over Europe will be now thinking about this.

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

Nicknamed the 'Sahara option', they're increasing the temp the trains can operate well at - from 45C to 55C, increasing air con spec, etc.

Alstom will already be doing these modifications for Morocco.

In March 2025, ONCF signed a contract with Alstom to provide 18 Avelia Horizon trains for Morocco's expansion of its high speed Al-Boraq service to Marrakech. The contract was valued at €781 million, and was financed by the French treasury.

Avelia Horizon - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Krokodil]

Hopefully they've also got snow resilience in the spec, given the debacle a few years ago

 

[LLivery]

That's a good point!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jul 2026 ==

Alstom will already be doing these modifications for Morocco.

Avelia Horizon - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Hopefully they've also got snow resilience in the spec, given the debacle a few years ago

I would think so - they do plan to operate in Switzerland after all!

 

[Chris125]

Interesting to see they've completed the first ETCS installation on a 373, presumably the new fleet will take so long to arrive it's still worth doing?

 

[LoonyToon]

That set with the ETCS fitted has been a work in progress for the last 2 or 3 years.
Hopefully the rest of the fleet won't take quite as long!
Eurostar want to run the 373's well into the 2030's.

 

[43102EMR]

That set with the ETCS fitted has been a work in progress for the last 2 or 3 years.
Hopefully the rest of the fleet won't take quite as long!
Eurostar want to run the 373's well into the 2030's.

Can imagine the main priority for the new fleet in terms of fleet modernisation is to replace the ex-Thalys stock?

 

[Trainbike46]

Can imagine the main priority for the new fleet in terms of fleet modernisation is to replace the ex-Thalys stock?

The PBA-fleet, yes. The PBKA-fleet, probably not as it's had just finished or is about to finish refurbishment

 

[43102EMR]

The PBA-fleet, yes. The PBKA-fleet, probably not as it's had just finished or is about to finish refurbishment

Ah yes thanks, forgot about the Ruby refurbishment; PBKAs finished last year, so all are now refurbished.

 

[superalbs]

The PBA-fleet, yes. The PBKA-fleet, probably not as it's had just finished or is about to finish refurbishment

Well, if the double-deck units aren't for service expansion, then something will have to go or a lot of trains will be sat around doing nothing.

 

[Snow1964]

Well, if the double-deck units aren't for service expansion, then something will have to go or a lot of trains will be sat around doing nothing.

By the time the new units are in service (about 2030-2031), the older trains will be about 35 years old.

A few might survive for few years as limited use extras (2-4 days per week max), but the idea they all will be kept and just parked sitting around is wrong.

Eurostars E300 sets were also built 1994-1996.

What no one really knows is if one of the low cost operators will try and buy the old trains, and use them for few years. I would guess they would be sellable with a restriction that can't be used on a competing service to Eurostar.

 

[Trainbike46]

Well, if the double-deck units aren't for service expansion, then something will have to go or a lot of trains will be sat around doing nothing.

The new trains are, officially, for a mix of replacement of existing trains and for expansion. Some people have raised concern as to whether the expansion will actually happen.

But, all I was saying is that the PBA sets will likely be the first to be replaced. The PBKA and e300 will also be replaced in all likelihood, but probably not until later, given their recent refurbishment, and in the case of PBKA, younger age. How did you conclude from my post trains would be sitting around doing nothing?