Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) – The British government announced on the 4th that Eurostar and Deutsche Bahn (German Rail) have signed a memorandum of understanding to finalize a cooperative plan for direct high-speed rail services from London to major German cities, marking a key step forward in the UK-Germany direct high-speed rail project.
The British government stated that the line is expected to be operational in the early 2030s, reducing the journey time from London to Cologne to approximately 4 hours and to Frankfurt to just over 5 hours.
This cooperation is a significant step following the first meeting of the UK-Germany joint working group in Berlin at the end of November. This working group brings together transport experts from both governments and industries to specifically address various obstacles in the development of the direct rail line.
The British government stated that the new line will utilize Eurostar's new double-decker trains, which offer 20% more capacity and 50% lower energy consumption compared to existing models, improving passenger efficiency and aligning with the concept of green travel.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that this railway will further integrate Britain into the core of the European transport network, injecting new momentum into cooperation between Britain and Germany in trade, tourism, and investment. British Transport Secretary Alexander said the cooperation is expected to transform cross-border rail travel in Europe, creating jobs, strengthening Anglo-German trade ties, and providing travelers with more environmentally friendly and convenient travel options.
However, the project still faces several obstacles. Currently, some stations in Germany lack the necessary border control facilities for cross-border travel, and issues such as the allocation of the Channel Tunnel and right-of-way require further coordination. Previously, Britain and Germany had advanced related preparations by signing a cooperation treaty and establishing a special working group. This finalization of cooperation at the enterprise level lays the foundation for resolving these issues. (End)
