To show its support for the athletes going to this year's Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, Eurostar has launched “The Golden Train”.
Eurostar will have two Golden Trains travelling between London and Paris, and the first departed yesterday, Tuesday, 25th June and was christened by world-renowned Olympian Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Paralympics GB double gold medallist Maisie Summers-Newton, and former Team GB athlete Perri Shakes-Drayton.
The golden e320 trains will transport the athletes to and from the games and have been decorated in their honour.
With Eurostar being the official travel partner for Team GB and ParalympicsGB, 160 Eurostar trains will transport 2,000 athletes and staff from Team GB, ParalympicsGB, Team Belgium, Team Para Belgium, Team Netherlands, Team ParaNL and Team Deutschland to the Games.
As well as the athletes, two million customers are expected to use Eurostar to travel to the Games, with peak travel days being 25th to 27th July and 10th to 12th August, which are the dates of the opening and closing ceremonies.
To cope with the expected demand, Eurostar will run eight more services between London and Paris on peak Olympic days.
During the games, special Olympic desserts will be served in Business Premier, Standard Premier, and Premium Classes on Eurostar trains, “Olympic” chocolates and a new Olympic-gold cocktail menu will be on offer in Paris and London lounges, and 21,000 glasses of champagne are predicted to be served to fans and athletes toasting medal winners. There will also be a dedicated fan zone for extended festivities in Coal Drops Yard.
As we gear up for the Paris 2024 Olympics, Eurostar's Golden Train symbolises the journey towards excellence. It's an honour to be part of this launch, and I wish all the athletes the best as they compete on the world stage as I pass the baton to talent such as Maisie.
Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill Speaking ahead of the launch
Launching Eurostar's Golden Train is an incredible experience. The Paralympic Games are a testament to resilience and determination, and I am excited to be part of an event that celebrates these values and can't wait to compete in the Paris 2024 games.”
Paralympics GB double gold medallist Maisie Summers-Newton
The Golden Train is a fantastic initiative by Eurostar. It brings together athletes and supporters, highlighting the unity and spirit of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. I look forward to seeing the positive impact this will have.”
Former Team GB athlete Perri Shakes-Drayton
Today marks the launch of one month to go to the Olympics. Eurostar is delighted to partner with four national teams for Paris 2024 including Team GB and ParalympicsGB. In honour of this, we've launched The Golden Train, a symbol of support for all athletes going for gold and for customers who'll be travelling via us to get to the games. We're honoured to have Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Maisie Summers-Newton and Perri Shakes-Drayton here to mark the moment.
Simon Lejeune, Eurostar Chief Safety and Stations Officer
