EUROSTAR is marking its 25th anniversary by unveiling a plastics-free train, on which single-use plastics have been eliminated.

The first Eurostar left London Waterloo on 14 November 1994, and since then Eurostar has gained more routes and a new fleet of rolling stock.

The train forming the 10:24 departure from London to Paris and 16:13 from Paris to London today has new wooden cutlery, recyclable cans of water, glass wine bottles, alternative paper-based coffee cups and environmentally friendly packaging.

Eurostar says to reinforce its commitment to the environment and encourage consumers to choose rail rather than air, from 1 January it has pledged to plant a tree for every train service it runs. Working in partnership with the Woodland Trust, ReforestAction and Trees for All, 20,000 trees will be planted every year in woodlands in Britain, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Eurostar CEO Mike Cooper said: 'Over the last twenty five years, we have led the way in cross-Channel high speed rail, revolutionising the links between the UK and mainland Europe. We have always had a strong sense of responsibility for the environment but as the demand for sustainable travel becomes increasingly critical, we believe we can raise the bar. With our environmental ambitions and our tree planting programme we are providing an attractive, eco-friendly alternative to the airlines.'