Eurostar will unveil new rolling stock next month, a year before it enters service and as the operator prepares to mark its 20th anniversary.
The new e320 trains, to be showcased at London's St Pancras station on November 13, will carry 900 passengers, boosting capacity by 20 per cent.
The trains will eventually replace some of the current rolling stock, which has operated for 20 years.
All ten new trains will have interiors and external livery by Italian design firm Pininfarina and like, the current stock, will be capable of speeds up to 200mph (320kph).
Eurostar is investing £700 million in the new fleet, with another £100 million to be spent on refurbishing the current stock. The operator is also refurbishing ticket offices and upgrading business lounges at St Pancras and revamping Lille and Paris Nord.
Tickets will go on sale in early December for Eurostar's new year-round direct service from London to Provence stopping at Lyon, Avignon and Marseille, which begins in May 2015. This will be followed in 2016 by direct services to Amsterdam via Antwerp, Rotterdam and Schiphol.
Nicolas Petrovic, Eurostar's chief executive, said: "Over the next two years our customers will see a complete transformation of our service as we upgrade and enhance every stage of the passenger journey.
"By making a substantial investment in our fleet, we are sending a strong signal about the ambition for the business and our commitment to delivering an exceptional experience for our passengers."
Gary Noakes
