Eurostar passengers will no longer be able to use fast-track biometric check-in for London St Pancras from 13 February 2025, the train firm has announced.
The biometric “SmartCheck” system was introduced in July 2023 in a first-of-its-kind for rail operators. Hailed at the time as a “faster and seamless check-in experience” by Gwendoline Cazenave, CEO of Eurostar Group, it was designed to help speed up the check-in process. Open to Business Premier and Carte Blanche passengers, the system involved a dedicated lane where those customers could register their ticket, passport, and face, and were approved via a facial recognition camera, meaning only one further passport check was needed.
E-passport gates and extra booths
But, just 18 months after coming into existence, the SmartCheck system is on its way out. Why? Because the rail company is preparing for the (much-delayed) advent of the EU’s new Entry/Exit System or EES.
“As part of these preparations, we’re improving our border control area with new ePassport gates and extra passport control booths,” the company said in a statement. “This will help us ensure the border control process is as smooth as possible for passengers travelling in the coming months and after EES has launched.”
What is the EES?
The EES is a long-awaited change to border control for those entering and exiting the European Union’s Schengen area. It requires the registration of biometric details of its own, meaning travellers must log their fingerprint or identity image. All so-called “third-country nationals”, which since Brexit includes British passport holders, must register these details when entering or leaving the bloc. It is intended to modernise border control and remove the time-consuming process of manually stamping passports.
Amid fears that the new system will cause havoc and delays, the train company has said it will install 49 self-service kiosks (more than twice the recommended number) near check-in, with staff members available to help out as the public try to get to grips with the new rules.
Priority lanes and queue capacity not lost
The firm is also introducing another three e-gates at St Pancras. Though some might be concerned that the removal of the biometric SmartCheck will slow things down, Eurostar has promised the former SmartCheck lane capacity will not be lost, but instead will be re-purposed into a priority lane for Eurostar Premier, Carte Blanche and Étoile Club Eurostar passengers.
“As we enter this new phase, our focus will remain on ensuring a seamless experience for customers and preparing for the transition of EES,” the company told The Independent.
