HS1 — High Speed 1
HS1 is Britain's first high-speed railway: 108 km from London St Pancras International to the Channel Tunnel at Folkestone, opened in two stages (2003 and 2007). 300 km/h top speed, used by Eurostar internationally and Southeastern Highspeed Javelin domestically.
Length
108 km
Top Speed
300 km/h (186 mph)
Opened
Sect 1 (2003), Sect 2 (Nov 2007)
Operator
HS1 Ltd (concession to 2040)
London Terminus
St Pancras International
Intermediate
Stratford International, Ebbsfleet
Trains
Eurostar Velaro e320, Class 395 Javelin
Annual Passengers
~30 million combined
About HS1
HS1, branded Southeastern High Speed for domestic use and originally promoted as the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), runs from St Pancras International through east London (via the new Stratford International station and a tunnel under the Thames) to Ebbsfleet, Ashford International, and on to the Channel Tunnel portal at Cheriton.
The line cost £6.84 billion to build and is operated under a 30-year concession by HS1 Ltd. It is the only railway in Britain certified for 300 km/h operation and shares 25 kV AC overhead supply with the rest of the European high-speed network.
St Pancras International is the line's iconic London terminus — William Henry Barlow's 1868 train shed restored as part of the £800 million St Pancras International redevelopment, with Eurostar, East Midlands Railway, Thameslink and Southeastern all under one roof.
FAQs
What is HS1?
High Speed 1 (HS1), formerly the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), is a 108 km high-speed line from London St Pancras International to the Channel Tunnel at Folkestone. It opened in two stages — Section 1 (Folkestone to Fawkham Junction) in 2003 and Section 2 (Fawkham Junction to St Pancras) in November 2007. Top speed is 300 km/h.
Which trains use HS1?
Two operators run on HS1: Eurostar Class 374 Velaro e320 international services at 320 km/h to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Lille; and Southeastern Highspeed Class 395 Javelin domestic services at 225 km/h to Kent (Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone, Margate, Ramsgate).
What stations does HS1 serve?
London St Pancras International (international and domestic), Stratford International (domestic only — Eurostar does not call), Ebbsfleet International (international and domestic) and Ashford International. From Ashford classic-compatible services continue across Kent on the existing network.
Who owns HS1?
HS1 Ltd holds a 30-year concession (granted in 2010, expiring 2040) to operate and maintain the infrastructure. The concession was sold by the UK government to Borealis Infrastructure and Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan in 2010, and again in 2017 to a new consortium led by InfraRed Capital Partners and Equitix.