News

High-speed passenger train operator Eurostar has announced growth in both traveller numbers and ticket sales between July and September this year.

The company transported a total of 2.37m passengers in the third quarter of the year, an increase of 6.4% that occurred despite the fire in the Channel Tunnel in September, which forced a two-day service suspension.

Ticket revenues rose by 2.4% during the period to reach £152.3m.

Richard Brown, chief executive of Eurostar, said: 'High-speed rail continues to attract more travellers. Eurostar's good value fares, fast city centre-to-city centre journey times and enjoyable on-board experience are all reasons why people are switching to the train.

'Eurostar's growth in the third quarter is particularly encouraging given the incident in the Channel Tunnel and that the comparative three-month period in 2007 was boosted by the Rugby World Cup.'

In the first nine months of the year, Eurostar carried 7m passengers, an increase of 13.9% on 2007.

Since the incident in the Channel Tunnel, the operator has set up an amended timetable that provides 93% of normal capacity.

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