Eurostar's first remodelled e300 train entered service yesterday with an inaugural journey between London and Brussels.
The train, which is over 20 years old, has a new livery and interior.
It features power sockets in all coaches, USB chargers in first class coaches, passenger information screens, double the areas for wheelchair spaces, wifi, and infotainment.
The wifi, power points and infotainment will not be switched on until the arrival of Eurostar's first e320 train later this year. The firm has 17 e320s on order (see news, November 2014).
The remodelled e300 will be joined by a second next year - a Eurostar spokesman was unable to say if more will follow, just that the company is keeping its options open.
The refurbished e300 now in service will operate to both Brussels and Paris. It will be rostered among the other trains, so from a passenger's perspective will appear "at random" on the routes.
The Eurostar departures area at Gare du Nord in Paris will increase in size by 50 per cent next year (see news, June 26).
Graham Smith