Eurostar Shows Strong Growth as Getlink Strengthens Cross-Channel Rail Services in 2025

Steady Growth and Strategic Developments

Eurostar has demonstrated robust performance in early 2025, achieving a 4% traffic growth in the first quarter and transporting almost 2.5 million passengers. This growth is particularly noteworthy as it was achieved despite operational challenges, including works at Amsterdam Centraal station that temporarily affected services between Amsterdam and London.

Strategic Partnerships and Infrastructure

A significant development has been the establishment of a strategic cooperation partnership between Getlink and London St. Pancras Highspeed (formerly HS1), aimed at fostering the expansion of rail services connecting Great Britain with continental Europe. The Channel Tunnel, serving as a crucial link that facilitates a quarter of trade between the Continent and the United Kingdom, has become increasingly vital for both passenger transport and energy distribution through its ElecLink interconnector.

Financial Performance and Market Position

For the first quarter of 2025, the Group’s consolidated revenue reached €328 million, with Eurotunnel’s revenue increasing by 2% to €254 million and Europorte also growing by 2% to €41 million. The company’s financial strength has been recognized with a credit rating upgrade to BB+ by both S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings, accompanied by a successful €600 million bond issue.

Future Outlook and Challenges

Looking ahead, Getlink continues to pursue its operational excellence strategy in 2025, despite facing economic uncertainty in Europe and the United Kingdom and intense competition from ferry operators. The company has set a consolidated EBITDA target between €780 million and €830 million, based on reasonable growth assumptions for Eurotunnel and observed commercial momentum. A significant development expected in October 2025 is the implementation of EES formalities at Eurotunnel sites, which the company has extensively prepared for and aims to leverage as a competitive advantage.