The government's Office of Road and Rail (ORR) has given Virgin Trains permission to operate up to 20 daily return services between London and Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam from 1 October 2030 to 31 December 2040.

However, the timings remain subject to Virgin Trains acquiring the necessary rolling stock – trains – to operate the routes, access to other rail networks, and UK and EU safety approvals. The arrangement would see it share a depot with Eurostar.

It has until 4 September to enter into an agreement with London St Pancras High Speed, the outfit that operates the high speed lines out of London.

Martin Jones, ORR Deputy Director, Access and International, said: “This is an important next step in bringing competition and growth to the market for international rail services, and we welcome the progress Virgin Trains and London St Pancras High Speed have made.

"While there is still more work to do, we are supporting Virgin and the wider industry to grow international services.”

The ORR's decision comes after Italy's FS Italiane Group, earlier this month, placed a €2 billion order for 19 new high-speed trains, which it hopes to use to operate services between Paris and London, starting in 2029.

Eurostar has operated passenger rail services on routes through the Channel Tunnel exclusively since the line opened in 1994. It has plans to introduce a fleet of double-decker trains over the coming years, and operate routes to Geneva and Frankfurt.

TTG has approached Eurostar for comment on the ORR's decision.