Passengers hopping on Eurostar trains could find themselves boarding much faster than before.
In a bid to cut down the waiting process at St Pancras station, bosses are changing the way passengers board.
At the moment, travellers have to check in 60 minutes before boarding and wait for their train.
But with the new plans, travellers will be able to board up to half an hour before departure. The new system is set to be introduced as the station is remodelled.
Chief commercial officer at London St Pancras Highspeed Wendy Spinks told The Telegraph how the move would help the terminal function like a normal train station rather than an airport.
She explained: ‘We see it being a really quick process. Going straight to the train is part of the plan.’
According to the train boss, the process won’t work like an airport departure lounge.
Wendy added the boarding system was too similar to how an airport works and said: ‘It has become too close to the airport experience, where you check in, go to security, wait in the lounge and then rush to the gate.
In a bid to cut down the waiting process at St Pancras station, bosses are changing the way passengers board
‘You will always want some people to turn up a bit earlier so that you can process them and get them on board but at least 50 per cent of passengers should go straight to the train.’
Wendy revealed how the station had been struggling with overcrowding and the new border control entry and exit system kiosks had added to the issue by taking up more space.
‘There is a mismatch between what the route can handle and what the station can handle,’ she added.
The remodelling of St Pancras, which will facilitate space for the new Virgin Trains and Trenitalia of Italy within a few years, will allow operators to share platforms.
It will also expand the queuing space for passengers.
Virgin Trains will be linking passengers from London St Pancras to various European tourist spots across the Channel from as early as 2030.
Back in October, the company was approved to use the spare capacity at Eurostar’s Temple Mills maintenance depot in Leyton, East London.
This meant Eurostar would no longer be holding the monopoly it has for the past 31 years.
With the new plans, travellers will be able to board up to half an hour before departure. The new system is set to be introduced as the station is remodelled
Virgin plans to begin journeys with a fleet of 12 trains from London St. Pancras to Europe in 2030.
The company confirmed it had chosen Alstom’s Avelia Stream for the new cross-channel fleet and described it as ‘a state-of-the-art train’.
The new vehicle is set to build ‘on the proven design of the Pendolino, with improved speed, passenger comfort and energy consumption’.
It is expected the trains will be painted in Virgin’s classic red and white colours.
A source told the Daily Mail how the new vehicles ‘will ooze Virgin’s enviable style’, ‘be fun and will most definitely being back the joy of the journey from the moment people step on board’.
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Eurostar to cut boarding times by 30 minutes as boss admits waiting at St Pancras has become like ‘queuing at an airport’
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