For the first time ever, the United Kingdom and Switzerland could be linked by a direct train service to rival air connectivity if a new agreement between European rail companies comes to fruition.
Eurostar, Swiss rail operator SBB, and France’s SNCF Voyageurs signed a “memorandum of understanding” (MoU) on 11 May 2026, a press release revealed, declaring that the trio “are dedicated to work together on the project of potential direct connections between London and Switzerland.”
The move has been driven by strong consumer appetite for travel between the two countries, the release explained, noting that “London is the number one flight destination from Switzerland, and at the same time, there is strong customer demand for a direct rail connection to the United Kingdom.”
If the plans go ahead as intended, the connection could be in place by the early 2030s, and the rail journey time between London St Pancras and Zurich could be as little as six hours, with an even shorter connection between London and Geneva (just five and a half hours), and a London to Basel connection of five hours considered optimal, according to customer research. Such timings, from the heart of one city to another, make rail travel a viable alternative to air links between major aviation hubs, which often entail onward shuttles into town centres.
Hailing the MoU as “an important milestone in the long-term planning for the establishment of a potential new direct connection to the United Kingdom,” Eurostar said the next step would be to “analyse potential timetables and operational concepts.”
Europe’s rail networks are seeing a flurry of investment and new routes. In just one example, travellers between the Czech and Danish capitals can now enjoy a rail connection again for the first time in a decade, thanks to a new Czech Railways service launched between Prague and Copenhagen on 1 May.
Meanwhile, the European Commission has set out a blueprint for improving European rail connectivity with a focus on making travel more intuitive, seamless, and risk-free across the bloc’s network of multiple operators.
As reported by Travel Tomorrow on 13 May, the proposal would introduce a “single ticket” concept across different providers, as well as opening up ticket platforms to competition and protecting passenger rights. Introducing the legislation, the Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, said, “Freedom of movement is one of Europe’s greatest achievements,” and added: “Today, we are taking it a step further by making travel across all 27 Member States simpler, smarter and more passenger friendly.”
