Europe Euphoria

After breaking many fast speed records, Eurostar (high-speed train services between Paris, London and Brussels through the English Channel tunnel) plans to set a Paris to London speed record via a new 186mph (300km/h) high-speed line. The train carrying members of the media will start its inaugural journey from Paris Gare du Nord arriving for the first time in London’s St Pancras International station instead of Waterloo. The total cost of meeting the major engineering challenges including laying track to pass over the River Medway, under the River Thames and through 11 miles of tunnels beneath London was about £5.8bn. The new line (High Speed 1) is expected to cut the journey time from Paris to London by 20 minutes to 2hr 15min and will be open to the public on 14 November and St Pancras station will eventually be linked to the site of the 2012 Olympics at Stratford east London