Germany and UK sign declaration for direct rail link

Transport ministers from Germany and the UK have signed a declaration confirming plans for a direct rail link between the two countries. But several hurdles remain before trains can hit the tracks.

Transport ministers sign declaration for Germany-UK rail link

German Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) and his UK counterpart Heidi Alexander (Labour) met in Hamburg this week to sign a declaration confirming a new, direct rail link connecting the two countries.

"We are committed to ensuring that the first trains can roll directly from Germany to the United Kingdom under the English Channel in the coming years," Schnieder said, according to a Tagesschau report. "A direct connection would make travel much easier and significantly increase the attractiveness of train travel.”

Schnieder and Alexander hope the link will bring the two countries closer, increase tourism and opportunities for economic and cultural exchange, while providing an attractive alternative to air travel.

Questions remain over border checks at German stations

The ministers announced that they had assembled a new task force designed to clarify any remaining hurdles. Questions remain over how border and security checks will be carried out at stations on the line.

The new service is likely to run between London and Berlin, stopping off in other major German cities. London’s St Pancras station, which serves the Eurostar, already has platforms dedicated to serving cross-border trains, complete with passport and security checkpoints. 

As part of the EU Schengen Area, train stations in Germany are not typically equipped with border and security checkpoints. These would have to be built on dedicated platforms along the route before the direct link can begin service.

Questions also remain over access to the Channel Tunnel. In March, London St Pancras Highspeed and the French company Getlink signed a deal to revoke Eurostar’s monopoly over the tunnel. London St Pancras Highspeed and Getlink aim to enhance service regularity and increase passenger capacity from 1.800 to 5.000 people per hour.

Multiple rail operators, including Deutsche Bahn, have expressed interest in running services through the tunnel, but have yet to challenge Eurostar’s dominance.