EUROPE: The latest company to announce ambitions to launch cross-Channel passenger services to compete against Eurostar is Gemini Trains. It aims to use ‘brand new cutting-edge trains’ and a ‘fresh approach’ to ticketing to offer ‘competitive fares and high-quality, frequent’ services from London and Ebbsfleet to Paris and Brussels, ’with further exciting destinations currently being developed’.
Gemini Trains is the trading name of Gemini TOC Ltd. It is chaired by politician Lord Tony Berkeley, and the CEO is Adrian Quine, one of the founders of former open access project promoter Alliance Rail Holdings and a director of Rail Charter Services. This ran ‘Staycation Express’ tourist services on the Settle – Carlisle line. Chief Financial Officer Tom Fielden was previously CFO of Great North Eastern Railway, and Operations Director Richard Stuart was Director of International Development for Go-Ahead Group.
Gemini has been developing its plans over the last two years, engaging with infrastructure managers, governments, regulators, station operators and train companies including Eurostar. It has applied to the Office of Rail & Road for access to the Temple Mills depot in London where Eurostar’s trains are maintained, and it is also in discussion regarding other train maintenance facilities.
‘Our team has real strength, depth, vision and dynamism and is superbly placed to offer customers choice on what is currently a monopoly route’, said Lord Berkeley on March 24.
Quine said ‘the high speed line connecting London and the continent through the Channel Tunnel is one of the great rail routes. With a whole new generation now choosing trains over planes, there is a great opportunity to bring real entrepreneurial flair and dynamism with competitive fares to Europe’s premier route.’
Commenting on Gemini’s announcement, the AllRail alliance of new entrants the passenger market said it ‘welcomes all newcomers — they will bring more choice and more trains to a market that is chronically under served.’
