Four daily flights from Cologne to London
The high-speed rail link between Frankfurt, Cologne, and London is scheduled to go into operation by the mid-2030s at the latest. This will require modifications to the infrastructure in Cologne.
The plans have never been this concrete. From the mid-2030s, Eurostar and Deutsche Bahn are planning new direct high-speed train connections from Frankfurt/Main
via Cologne to London.
For Cologne Central Station, which has been considered a bottleneck due to its high occupancy rate with long-distance trains, there is apparently a solution that allows passenger handling and boarding in an area secured for travelers.
According to the "Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger," Eurostar and
Deutsche Bahn plan to operate services via platform 5. A bridge will connect the platform to a terminal building located outside the station hall.
With four daily connections, it is necessary to close the southern part of the platform half an hour before the departure of the London trains. After boarding and departure, the track is available again for regular long-distance traffic.
The foundation for a direct connection was laid by Deutsche Bahn 's long-distance division and Eurostar with a letter of intent signed at the end of 2025. The plan is to offer a joint long-distance service between London, Cologne, and Frankfurt as soon as all technical, operational, and legal requirements are met. "Eurostar will contribute its expertise in rail travel through the Channel Tunnel, while DB will contribute its competence as a network provider with a nationwide presence in Germany," reads a joint statement.
Fifty new Celestia trains from Eurostar are planned for the route, which will also run on the high-speed line between Cologne and Frankfurt. They will also serve the connections between London and Geneva, as well as Amsterdam/Brussels and Geneva. The trains are not yet available; the delivery date has been delayed by three years.
Eurostar will invest around two billion euros in its new train fleet, according to its own statements. Eurostar currently operates in five European countries: Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium.
Travel time from Cologne under six hours
Those involved agree that a direct train connection between Frankfurt and London via Cologne only makes economic sense if the trains actually stop there. The journey time between Cologne and London is expected to be between five and a half and six hours.
“All international connections operated by
DB and Eurostar are running very well. London is a very popular destination. The total travel time is around five and a half hours, making it competitive with air travel, especially since the major London airports are located far outside the city center. St. Pancras International station is right in the heart of London,” says North Rhine-Westphalia's Transport Minister Oliver Krischer (Greens). “DB and Eurostar are optimistic that this will be financially viable. The federal government, DB InfraGo, and potentially the states of Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia will, of course, also have to invest in the station's modernization.”
The CDU and the Greens in North Rhine-Westphalia included the project in their coalition agreement after the state elections in May 2022. However, the project only gained real momentum after the signing of a treaty on friendship and bilateral cooperation in mid-July 2025 by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the then British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The treaty states that efforts are being made to "enable direct connections in long-distance rail passenger transport (...)."
After this contract was concluded, Eurostar publicly expressed its interest in operating this route. "This prompted Deutsche
Bahn to take action. Both railway companies then contacted the Federal Ministry of Transport with the request to begin initial considerations and preliminary planning," says Krischer.
Establishment of border controls
According to Eurostar, the initial steps have already been taken. "We have already begun preparing for the commissioning of the new routes with our infrastructure partners and the governments in Germany and Switzerland," the company stated in response to an inquiry. However, much work remains to be done, such as setting up border controls, providing personnel for passport processing, and securing slots on the high-speed rail lines in the participating countries. The plan is to offer four daily services between Frankfurt, Cologne, and London.
Deutsche Bahn confirms "close discussions regarding the establishment of a joint long-distance rail service between London and German cities." However, no decision has yet been made on a specific route. A spokesperson for the railway company stated that they are currently evaluating various implementation options for a potential stop at Cologne Central Station.
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