Business travel boosts Eurostar sales
Eurostar passenger numbers rose 3% to 10.4 million last year.
Meanwhile, sales revenues increased by 1% to £867 million.
The rail operator said the improvement was underpinned, in particular, by the strong recovery in the UK economy which pushed up business travel by 4% over 2013.
The business also achieved year-on-year growth in underlying profitability with like-for-like operating profit up 2% in 2014 to £55 million.
In November, Eurostar announced its decision to buy seven additional e320s to meet growing demand.
Carrying 900 passengers, these trains will boost capacity per train by 20% and will reach speeds of 200 mph.
In total, Eurostar is investing over £1 billion in its fleet and its service and will be introducing 17 new trains over the next three years.
In May, Eurostar is launching a new all year-round direct service to the South of France stopping in Lyon, Avignon and Marseille.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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