High Speed 1

High Speed 1 (HS1), officially the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), is a 109.9-kilometre (68.3-mile) high-speed railway linking London with the Channel Tunnel. It is part of the line carrying international passenger traffic between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe; it also carries domestic passenger traffic to and from stations in Kent and east London, and continental European loading gauge freight traffic. From the Channel Tunnel, the line crosses the River Medway, and tunnels under the River Thames, terminating at London St Pancras International station on the north side of central London. It cost £6.84 billion to build and opened on 14 November 2007. Trains run at speeds of up to 300 km/h (190 mph) on HS1. There are intermediate stations at Stratford International in London, Ebbsfleet International in northern Kent and Ashford International in southern Kent. International passenger services are provided by Eurostar International, with journey times from London St Pancras International to Paris Gare du Nord in 2 hours 15 minutes, and London St Pancras International to Brussels South/Bruxelles-Midi/Brussel Zuid in 1 hour 51 minutes. As of 2026, Eurostar uses a fleet of 8 Class 373 multi-system trains capable of 300 km/h (190 mph) and 17 Class 374 trains capable of 320 km/h (200 mph). Domestic high-speed commuter services serving intermediate stations and beyond began on 13 December 2009. The fleet of 29 Class 395 passenger trains reach speeds of 225 km/h (140 mph). DB Cargo UK run freight services on High Speed 1 using adapted Class 92 locomotives, enabling flat wagons carrying continental-size swap body containers to reach London for the first time. The CTRL project saw new bridges and tunnels built, with a combined length nearly as long as the Channel Tunnel itself, and significant archaeological research undertaken. In 2002, the CTRL project was awarded the...