The first of the high-speed Allegro trains ordered for the service between Helsinki and St Petersburg has arrived in Finland from the Alstom factory in Italy. Fine-tuning and static testing of the train has begun at VR’s Ilmala depot in Helsinki and track trials of the first train will begin at the end of March. Trails will start in Finland and subsequently be carried out in Russia during April 2010.

Before launching the service, trials and tests must be carried out on all the Allegro models in both Finland and Russia.

Faster journey times

When the high-speed Allegro trains enter service, they will cut the journey time between Helsinki and St Petersburg to three and a half hours; a considerable improvement on the current service which takes almost six hours. Time savings measures include an onboard customs and border inspection in both countries which will take place whilst the train is in motion.

The Allegro trains are scheduled to replace the Sibelius and Repin trains that currently operate between St Petersburg and Helsinki at the end of 2010. It is hoped that the introduction of the Allegro service will gradually increase the number of rail services between the two cities making it easier for visitors to combine the two countries for business or leisure purposes.

Dual power system

The Allegro trains have a dual power system, so that they can use the DC network in Russia and the AC network in Finland. The trains also have a dual radio system, one for use in Finland’s communications system and the other
for use in Russia. The train equipment complies with current technical requirements in the EU and Russia. The maximum speed in passenger services is 220 kilometres an hour.

The Allegro trains have seven carriages and a total of 344 seats. The first and second class carriages have adjustable seats, tilting tables, pockets for newspapers and magazines, foot rests, and sockets for laptop computers and mobile phones. There is a restaurant car, facilities for disabled passengers, a play area for children, and designated seats for passengers travelling with pets. No smoking is allowed on the train.

To provide information for passengers, the Allegros have visual displays and a speaker system where information can be given in Finnish, Russian and English. There is a separate area on the train for border and customers
officials.

Upgrading the track in Finland and Russia

Raising the speeds for this service has required investment in the tracks in Finland and Russia. In Finland, the Lahti–Luumäki–Vainikkala track section is currently being upgraded.

RZD is currently upgrading its own track sections, so that trains can run at 200 kilometres an hour between St Petersburg and Buslovskaya. The work began in 2007.

The track work should be completed in both countries in autumn 2010.

The Allegro trains are owned by Oy Karelian Trains Ltd, a rolling stock company jointly owned by VR and Russian railway company RZD. The train operating companies VR and RZD are responsible for passenger services, timetables and ticket sales.

Karelian Trains and Alstom signed a contract in September 2007 for the delivery of four Allegro trainsets. Alstom has supplied similar tilting-body trains in 10 countries. The contract has a value of 120 million euros.

· CLIMATE CHAMPIONS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD TO START THEIR JOURNEY FROM London

· UIC TRAIN TO COPENHAGEN TO SHOWCASE SUSTAINABLE RAIL TRAVEL

Eurostar, the high-speed provider of carbon neutral journeys between the UK and the continent, will on Friday 4 December take environmental campaigners, delegates and environmental journalists to Brussels to meet the UIC ‘Climate Express’ train to the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen (COP 15).

The journey will begin at London St Pancras International, where there will be an official send off with dancers from India and a brass quintet from the Royal College of Music.

The group will then travel on to Brussels where they will meet up with around 400 fellow travellers from across Europe, to continue their journey on the Climate Express the morning of Saturday 5 December.

Richard Brown, CEO of Eurostar who is also joining the UIC train to Copenhagen said:

“The journey to Copenhagen will be a crucial part of the build-up to COP15. Travellers will have the opportunity to take part in an ‘on-track’ conference focussing on the rail industry’s role in tackling climate change. It is great that the Climate Express offers the opportunity for conversation and debate, before it reaches Copenhagen and in advance of the arrival any World Leaders. ”

Also travelling with Richard Brown will be a group of 25 young people from the British Councils’ ‘Climate Champions’ programme. Selected from 3000 members, the group will have the chance to meet their official delegations at COP 15 itself and call for an ambitious and binding international agreement to reduce carbon emission at COP 15.

Head of the British Council Climate Change programme, Dr David Viner said:

“This conference is a crucial milestone in the global effort to reduce the rapid rate of climate change. There is an imperative to act now as it is this and future generations who will inherit the legacy and the full impact of global climate change that we are witnessing today. That is why the British Council is working to support young people to lead by example and make a real difference at a local level. Copenhagen is now an opportunity for our Climate Champions to take their message to the heart of the debate and make their voices heard at the top table. I am delighted that these passionate and committed young people are having the chance to make their voice heard on their journey to Copenhagen.”

As a company, Eurostar promotes the sustainability of high speed rail through its Tread Lightly plan which has the aim of reducing the rail provider’s actual CO2 emissions by 35% by 2012. The initiative is supported through a partnership with Friends of the Earth. The green campaign group has rallied 250 campaigners who will travel to Copenhagen with Eurostar on Friday 11 December. The campaign will flood the streets with people – calling for a strong and fair agreement to tackle climate change.

EUROSTAR PRESS PHOTOCALL NOTICE

What:

A UK send off for travellers joining the UIC ‘Climate Express’ from Brussels to COP 15 in Copenhagen. There will be an opportunity for interviews and photographs on the platforms at St Pancras International.

Interviews:

The British Council ‘Climate Champions’, Richard Brown, CEO of Eurostar and International Climate Campaigner from Friends of the Earth, Tom Picken.

When: Friday 4 December, 16h15 (The group will leave on Eurostar for Brussels at 1727).

Where:

Report to the Eurostar Group Welcome Desk, opposite check-in at St Pancras International station.

Members of the media who are not travelling will need to pre-register with the Eurostar Press Office on Tel: ++ 44 (0) 20 7843 5400 or on press.office@eurostar.co.uk.

Media will need to have passports for ID purposes. TV crews please note that boom microphones are not permitted on

platforms at St Pancras International

Note to editors:

1. Since Eurostar returned to full service in February 2009, punctuality levels have remained high with 95% of trains arriving on time.

2. Eurostar provides high-speed rail journeys between St Pancras International, Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International, Paris, Brussels, Lille, Calais, Disneyland Resort Paris, Avignon and the French Alps.

3. Eurostar connects with domestic services in the UK and provides onward connections to destinations across mainland Europe. Travellers can buy connecting fares to the Continent from more than 200 stations with return fares from £63, including brighton from £71 and Edinburgh from £92.

4. Under its Tread Lightly environmental plan, Eurostar has set a target of reducing its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 35% per traveller journey by 2012. Because emissions cannot yet be eliminated, Eurostar is also the world’s first train operator to make all journeys carbon neutral, at no extra cost to travellers.

5. Eurostar and Friends of the Earth are working together in the UK on Eurostar’s Tread Lightly initiative and Friends of the Earth’s climate campaign. To find out more about Friends of the Earth visit www.friendsoftheearth.co.uk.

6. Eurostar is a founder member of Railteam, a partnership between Europe’s leading high-speed train operators that is developing simpler ways to book and travel on the fast-expanding, European high-speed rail network.

7. Eurostar is an entirely separate business from Eurotunnel. Eurostar operates high-speed passenger trains, whilst Eurotunnel operates vehicle shuttle services and the Channel Tunnel itself. Eurostar is Eurotunnel’s biggest customer.

8. To book tickets or for more travel information, please visit www.eurostar.com

or call 08705 186 186.

Noting proposals for an airport in the Thames Estuary, there is a more efficient, much less costly and practically instantaneous way to reduce the pressure on Heathrow. In layman’s terms Birmingham could take another 9 million passengers tomorrow within the existing infrastructure. This could have an enormous beneficial effect on the local economy, and create jobs in a region that is becoming progressively needier.

The 2003 Aviation White Paper encouraged airports to provide for demand in their natural catchments. Birmingham is working towards this, though a significant proportion of Midlands business goes to Heathrow. Birmingham is the only airport with a significant Planning Consent (for a runway extension) already agreed.

Undoubtedly, part of the Solution to the ‘Heathrow problem’ is a High-Speed Rail link so that people can ‘Fly the Train’. Another element is called Birmingham. In less time than it takes some to walk from one side of Heathrow’ to the other – 38 minutes – High-Speed Rail could get you to Birmingham Airport (this is less than the 45-60 minutes mooted for a link to the Estuary Airport).

Birmingham could take another 9 Million Passengers tomorrow (i.e. within existing infrastructure), and the Master Plan to 2030 sees 18 million more passengers using Birmingham. Theresa Villiers has already acknowledged that, together with a High Speed Rail link, Birmingham could perform this role (see note to Editors).

Even Kent (Ebbsfleet) would probably be less than an hour from Birmingham Airport, by High Speed Rail.

Birmingham is not seeking to transplant the Heathrow operation in its entirety, but South East traffic could form an element of Birmingham’s wider portfolio. Around 50% of the UK population is less than a two-hour drive from Birmingham. High Speed Rail could bring them much nearer, with Central London only 40 minutes away, putting Birmingham in ‘Zone 4’ of the Underground Map.

Birmingham has an excellent environmental record and one of the most stringent night flying regimes – there are binding agreements in place to protect the interests of local people.  However within those binding agreements there is still tremendous opportunity. The Airport is running at less than 40% capacity. Making best use of the UK’s Strategic Resources can only be in everyone’s interests.

Paul Kehoe, Birmingham Airport’s Chief Executive Officer, said:

“Birmingham is ready to respond to any current or future government initiatives. We already attract passengers from the home-counties who choose the convenience, choice and accessibility of Birmingham over other alternatives.

“We have plenty of capacity and, linked to high-speed rail, we are uniquely positioned to not only claw back people from our own region, who make the long journey to Heathrow, but to attract passengers from the overheated south east.

“We will not just be London’s third runway as we have our own traffic – but by attracting those who waver towards Heathrow to use Birmingham instead, will create jobs and help to rebuild the local economy.

“Positioned at the heart of the country we are perfectly placed for those visitors from abroad who want to experience all that the region, and further afield, has to offer. Birmingham’s reputation continues to rise and is truly a destination which provides the perfect base for foreign visitors.”

*Ticket sales up 6.8% in Q3 2009 compared to Q3 2008*

Signs of an upturn in business travel market

Eurostar, the provider of high-speed, carbon neutral rail journeys between the UK and the Continent, today announced its Quarter 3 2009 results which report some recovery in sales.

Whilst sales and revenues for the year to date are down slightly and the business travel environment remains challenging, overall sales revenue in Q3 2009 is up 6.8% on the same period last year.

This uplift is due to the impact of the fire on a shuttle in the Channel Tunnel in September last year which depressed the Q3 2008 results, helped by growth in the leisure market and a bottoming-out in the decline of business sales.

Overall ticket sales between January and September 2009 totalled £504.9 million and since the beginning of the year Eurostar has welcomed 6.9 million travellers.

Whilst this is down 0.9% on 2008, the volume of passengers travelling in Q3 2009 went up to 2.6 million from 2.4 million 2008. This sees an 11% increase in passengers travelling outbound from the UK and a 7% increase of passengers travelling inbound from the Continent year on year.

The increase reflects the success of the ‘Little Break, Big Difference’ advertising campaign which has encouraged UK travellers to treat themselves for as little as the £59 return fare – Eurostar’s lead in fare which has stayed the same for the last six years.

Richard Brown, Chief Executive, Eurostar, said:

“Today’s figures show that despite tough times, people are increasingly realising the great benefit of travelling with Eurostar.

“These individuals are part of what we call the ‘Eurostar Generation’; travellers who over the past decade and a half have experienced significant changes to the way they live, work and play as the network of high-speed rail services steadily grows.”

Brown also said that whilst the economic climate remains difficult there are signs that the worst might be over for the business market:

“In recent weeks a number of our major corporate clients have eased their business travel restrictions.

Although it is early days, this may be a sign of an upturn.”

*Ticket sales up 6.8% in Q3 2009 compared to Q3 2008*

Signs of an upturn in business travel market

Eurostar, the provider of high-speed, carbon neutral rail journeys between the UK and the Continent, today announced its Quarter 3 2009 results which report some recovery in sales.

Whilst sales and revenues for the year to date are down slightly and the business travel environment remains challenging, overall sales revenue in Q3 2009 is up 6.8% on the same period last year.

This uplift is due to the impact of the fire on a shuttle in the Channel Tunnel in September last year which depressed the Q3 2008 results, helped by growth in the leisure market and a bottoming-out in the decline of business sales.

Overall ticket sales between January and September 2009 totalled £504.9 million and since the beginning of the year Eurostar has welcomed 6.9 million travellers.

Whilst this is down 0.9% on 2008, the volume of passengers travelling in Q3 2009 went up to 2.6 million from 2.4 million 2008. This sees an 11% increase in passengers travelling outbound from the UK and a 7% increase of passengers travelling inbound from the Continent year on year.

The increase reflects the success of the ‘Little Break, Big Difference’ advertising campaign which has encouraged UK travellers to treat themselves for as little as the £59 return fare – Eurostar’s lead in fare which has stayed the same for the last six years.

Richard Brown, Chief Executive, Eurostar, said:

“Today’s figures show that despite tough times, people are increasingly realising the great benefit of travelling with Eurostar.

“These individuals are part of what we call the ‘Eurostar Generation’; travellers who over the past decade and a half have experienced significant changes to the way they live, work and play as the network of high-speed rail services steadily grows.”

Brown also said that whilst the economic climate remains difficult there are signs that the worst might be over for the business market:

“In recent weeks a number of our major corporate clients have eased their business travel restrictions.

Although it is early days, this may be a sign of an upturn.”