Virgin orders 12 high-speed trains: competition with Eurostar heats up.

According to The Sun: Virgin has signed a deal to acquire 12 new high-speed trains, which it plans to use for travel to cities in Europe such as Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam. This decision puts Virgin in direct competition with Eurostar and opens up opportunities for expanding their network in the future to France, Germany, and Switzerland.

A spokesperson for Virgin Group commented on the deal: 'The latest submission from Virgin to the Office of Rail and Roads demonstrates that the company is confident, committed, and able to meet consumer needs on the route across the Channel. We look forward to the ORR decision in October.'

Meanwhile, besides Virgin, other players are entering the market. The start-up company Evolyn plans to launch trains between London and Paris as early as 2023, and the new operator Gemini Trains intends to launch 10 trains from the UK to Europe with routes to Paris and Brussels.

Additionally, one can learn more about Eurostar's plans to launch direct trains to two new European countries, as well as get tips on the ideal budget overseas train holiday.