Posted 21st April 2010 | 6 Comments

The Germans are coming, predicts Eurotunnel CEO

Arriva Trains Wales is set to become a German-owned operation

Arriva Trains Wales is set to become a German-owned operation

DEUTSCHE Bahn will be running trains to London within two years, according to the chief executive of Eurotunnel. DB is also poised to conclude a takeover deal for Arriva.

Eurotunnel CEO Jacques Gounon was speaking at the launch of a Eurotunnel windfarm at Coquelles, near the French portal.

He told reporters that he expected DB to be running to St Pancras International by Olympics year, 2012. Reuters has reported that he said: “Deutsche Bahn has a real willingness. We can trust a house that powerful. When they decide to do something they do it.”

There had been speculation that DB would be at the forefront of competitors for Eurostar, following the introduction of open access on international routes at the start of the year. Eurostar has already said it would welcome competition.

Although it is likely that DB would introduce additional routes between London and Germany, it could also compete directly on the London-Paris corridor as well. Trains to and from Germany are likely to run via Brussels, which could also end Eurostar's rail monopoly between Britain and Belgium.

Meamwhile, DB is well on the way to announcing a deal to acquire Arriva, which has become a major European transport group.  It's expected that shares will change hands for around £1.6 billion. The DB Supervisory Board is meeting today and is expected to confirm the offer.

Arriva had been in takeover talks with French operator SNCF, but these ended inconclusively last month.

If the DB takeover goes ahead as expected, DB will become the operator of CrossCountry and Arriva Trains Wales, as well as numerous bus companies in several parts of Britain. The transfer of franchise ownership will require the formal approval of the Department for Transport, but is unlikely to be refused.

Reader Comments:

Views expressed in submitted comments are that of the author, and not necessarily shared by Railnews.

  • 컵윌리엄, Pusan, South Korea

    Build the Scotland - Northern Ireland rail tunnel (using standard gauge I guess) with fast new connections (from Glasgow to Belfast I guess). The UK government can then auction off it's operation, as with the High Speed 1 line, to get back some of the cost. This would stimulate the long term development of both the British and Irish economies as well as further railway link devlopment, leading to more railway jobs and increased Scottish and Irish tourism revenue.

  • Steve, Portsmouth, England

    Craig
    The problem with running north beyond St Pancras is customs. How do you do passport checks etc. when the train stops at stations north of London? You can't have passport control at every station the train could stop at, and certainly not on the train itself (too late).
    The plans for HS2 don't include through passenger running to the continent for the same reason. As long as the interchange in London is convenient, is it really a problem?

  • Peter Slade, Hertford, Herts

    Good news indeed. And just imagine what a strategic resource the EuroSleepers would now been if they hadn't be sent packing to Canada!
    Can't wait to do my first through journey to Koln HBF from St.Pancras Int.!

  • Craig Ward, BLACKBURN, UK

    But when are we going to have trains running from continental Europe to the north of England? Surely, it's time the market was tested.

  • Rich, Calais, France

    Hopefully their trains would stop in Calais at times suitable for commuting to London...but I doubt it!

  • les Burge, leicester, england

    Sounds like good news
    It will be great to get the no nonsense Germans in competition on cross channel
    routes.New Destinations and possibly cheaper cross channel fares can only be good for us and the rest of Europe.