Several weeks ago we reported that Eurostar would operate a much reduced winter schedule effective this month.

I have been reporting on developments at Eurostar ever it launched back in 1994. Never before had I seen this high-speed operator offer such a sparse schedule.

Eurostar’s sparse winter schedules

 

Since I wrote the piece above the schedule has been cut further.

Eurostar had planned a winter schedule comprising twice daily services to Paris and Brussels. One of the latter city’s trains would continue on to Amsterdam.

But now we see Eurostar operating just two trains daily from London St Pancras.

One is destined for Paris whilst the other is destined for Amsterdam via Brussels. (In other words there is no separate train for Brussels alone).

Both trains depart London in the morning and return in the afternoon.

When I checked the schedules with eurostar.com I discovered that Paris will regain its second daily service but not until December 8.

Meanwhile Brussels must wait until December 17 before its second service is restored.

Amsterdam remains at a single direct service for the foreseeable future.

However services to Paris and Brussels do increase in the days before Christmas and in the days leading up to the New Year holiday period.

Thereafter much will depend on the lockdown and quarantine situation.

As we reported last week Eurostar is facing a substantial decline in passenger numbers as a result of lockdowns and/or quarantine restrictions in every destination it serves.

HS1 at risk if Eurostar fails, say the firms’ CEOs

It must therefore slim schedules to the bone in order to reduce costs.

Operating a mere two trains daily (normally it would be over 20 daily services) means that the bulk of Eurostar’s hi-tech fleet languishes at its three depots: Temple Mills (London),  Le Landy (Paris) and Forest (Brussels).

eurostar.com