Record quarter for Eurostar
16 April 2008Channel Tunnel rail operator Eurostar has announced that it carried 2.17 million passengers in the first quarter of 2008, which was the first full three-month period of its operations from St Pancras International.
The record figure represented an increase of 21 per cent on the first quarter of 2006 as passengers made use of the operator's new high-speed link between London and the Channel Tunnel.
Eurostar also announced that punctuality hit an 'all-time high', with 93.6 per cent of trains leaving within 15 minutes of their planned departure time.
The company suggested that part of its success could be down to an increasing environmental responsibility among holidaymakers, with a YouGov survey recently suggesting that short-haul travellers are becoming increasingly aware of the impact of their trips.
An early Easter this year, the Six Nations rugby tournament and an extra day in February also contributed to the success, Eurostar said.
Chief executive Richard Brown said: "We are delighted at the public's ever growing desire to travel by Eurostar.
"It shows that High Speed 1 and our fabulous new stations are capturing people's imagination, combined with the fast, reliable and green advantages of our high-speed trains."
Essential Travel - travel insurance for a whole world of holidays - http://insurance.essentialtravel.co.uk/