London to Geneva by train edges nearer as Eurostar signs Swiss rail deal

"Eurostar, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and SNCF Voyageurs have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore launching direct trains between London and Switzerland, following earlier cooperation agreements between the Swiss and French rail operators."

"The proposed services could see trains running direct from London to Zurich in around 6 hours, with journeys to Basel taking about 5 hours and to Geneva about 5.5 hours. For comparison, a flight from a London airport of around 1 hour 45 minutes, but you also have to factor in getting to and from the airport, so the journey times are fairly comparable on that measure."

"However, despite the agreement being signed, the project remains at an early planning stage. The rail operators say further work is needed on timetables, operational planning, border controls, infrastructure and international agreements before services can begin."

"There is also the challenge of securing suitable trains and available paths through the busy rail networks in France and the Channel Tunnel. As a result, the companies say any direct service would only be feasible "at the earliest sometime in the course of the 2030s"."

Eurostar, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), and SNCF Voyageurs have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore direct trains between London and Switzerland. Proposed journey times include London to Zurich in around six hours, London to Basel in about five hours, and London to Geneva in about five and a half hours. Demand is described as strong, supported by the claim that London is Switzerland’s most popular flight destination and by studies indicating significant interest in a direct rail alternative. The project remains early-stage and requires further work on timetables, operations, border controls, infrastructure, and international agreements. Securing suitable trains and available paths through busy networks in France and the Channel Tunnel is also a challenge, so services are only feasible at the earliest sometime in the 2030s.

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