Eurostar has today unveiled its new e320 train, which will be one of ten new vehicles to come into service at the end of 2015. The company also announced that it has ordered an additional seven trains, bringing the total size of the fleet to 17.
The train has undergone a complete redesign inside and out, and can now carry 20 percent more passengers across three classes than it could previously. It will have almost 900 seats in total -- that's twice as many as a jumbo jet. Seats suitable for passengers in wheelchairs have been doubled.
At its core, the e320 is Siemens Velaro train -- a model that is used on high-speed train routes in Germany, Spain, China and Russia. Overall the e320 is 400m long and it has earned its name due to the fact it can travel at 320km per hour.
As it is an international service, which will soon start running through the Netherlands, in addition to the UK, France and Belgium, the train is interoperable. This means it can operate smoothly across the European high-speed rail network with its many different signalling systems. On the roof are eight pantographs so it is able to deal with the different power systems and contacts lines across the continent. It can also complies with the strict technical guidelines that apply to trains running through the Channel Tunnel.
The interiors and external livery of the train has been designed by Pininfarina -- the Italian fashion house responsible for Ferrari's style -- and the nose is very sleek and aerodynamic in order to reduce energy consumption and improve noise efficiency.
WIRED.co.uk has had the oppourtunity to nose around the train, testing out all of the new seats and poking around the cockpit for good measure.
It's hard to keep a sense of perspective when you're exploring gleaming new carriages that have never actually been travelled in, especially given that the old trains are so grubby these days -- but it's entirely possible to see how the new design will impact the Eurostar experience.
In one way the current Eurostar trains give you a sense of privacy with their high-backed chairs, angular, deep-set headrests and low-slung luggage racks, but they can sometimes feel quite claustrophobic too. Not so on the new trains. The carriages feel lighter and much more spacious and seats from standard to business premier have been completely overhauled. The new seats are slimline -- much like many of the new economy and premium economy seat designs being shown off by top-tier airlines -- and have gently curved headrests. Oh, and they all recline too.
Throughout the train are power points and USB charging sockets, as well as free Wi-Fi -- the business traveller's best friend. All passengers can also connect to a Wi-Fi portal that provides live news, weather and destination guides. Doors are now all automatic, so there's no chance of getting trapped in them with your luggage. More space has been made available for luggage too.
Given that Eurostar is now 20 years old, the introduction of the e320 is somewhat overdue, but now that it is here, it will certainly inject some glamour back into international rail travel. "We always had the ambition to make travelling a pleasure," said Eurostar chief executive Nicolas Petrovic at the e320 launch. "It has to be an experience in itself."
Eurostar had to fight to grow its business, he points out, but these days it is regularly fully booked. Increasingly Eurostar is selling overseas and Petrovic believes there is a lot more growth to come. "Eurostar has created a new market from scratch," he says. "We have become a reference for travelling in Europe. We have become a bridge between countries, between cities, between people."
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
