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First outing for faster Eurostar First outing for faster Eurostar
(about 1 hour later)
Eurostar is set to make its inaugural journey from Paris to London via a new 186mph (300km/h) high-speed line.Eurostar is set to make its inaugural journey from Paris to London via a new 186mph (300km/h) high-speed line.
The train - carrying members of the media - will also arrive into St Pancras International station, instead of Waterloo, for the first time. The train - carrying members of the media - will also arrive at St Pancras International station, instead of Waterloo, for the first time.
The new line is expected to cut journey times from Paris to London by 20 minutes to 2hr 15min. It will open to the public on 14 November. The new line is expected to cut journey times from Paris to London by 20 minutes to 2hr 15min and will open to the public on 14 November.
Upgrading the line has cost a total of £5.8bn. Upgrading the line and revamping St Pancras has cost £5.8bn.
On Tuesday the train will also pass through the new £100m Ebbsfleet International station near Dartford in Kent. The high cost is partly due to some major engineering challenges, including laying track to pass over the River Medway, under the River Thames and through 11 miles of tunnels beneath London.
Seven services to Paris and five to Brussels will start running from Ebbsfleet from 19 November, and a ticket office has been opened at Bluewater Shopping Centre two miles from the station.
'High-speed club"'High-speed club"
On Tuesday the train will also pass through the new £100m Ebbsfleet International station near Dartford, in Kent.
Seven services to Paris and five to Brussels will start running from Ebbsfleet from 19 November, and a ticket office has been opened at Bluewater Shopping Centre two miles from the station.
The new line, known as High Speed 1, runs for 68 miles (110km) from the Channel Tunnel near Folkestone to St Pancras in central London.The new line, known as High Speed 1, runs for 68 miles (110km) from the Channel Tunnel near Folkestone to St Pancras in central London.
The new St PancrasThe new St Pancras
The 186mph speeds are 50% faster than domestic rail services.The 186mph speeds are 50% faster than domestic rail services.
Richard Brown, chief executive of Eurostar, said: "Today marks Britain's entry into the European high-speed rail club.Richard Brown, chief executive of Eurostar, said: "Today marks Britain's entry into the European high-speed rail club.
"We can now run trains at high speed all the way from the Channel Tunnel to London, making journeys between cities quicker, more convenient and far greener than flying.""We can now run trains at high speed all the way from the Channel Tunnel to London, making journeys between cities quicker, more convenient and far greener than flying."
He said journey times to Paris, even for people travelling from Yorkshire or Leeds, would be broadly the same as for those flying due to lengthier check-in times at airports.
"It's as quick and more frequent... and we will be matching airline prices."
Trains have always travelled along the French section of the route at high speeds, but were forced to slow down on the British side because they shared a track with commuter services in and out of London.Trains have always travelled along the French section of the route at high speeds, but were forced to slow down on the British side because they shared a track with commuter services in and out of London.
St Pancras station will eventually be linked to the site of the 2012 Olympics at Stratford, east London.St Pancras station will eventually be linked to the site of the 2012 Olympics at Stratford, east London.