Eurostar achieves record sales revenue after Ryder Cup boost

The Ryder Cup golf tournament in Paris helped Eurostar achieve record sales revenues between July and September.

The cross-Channel rail operator said revenues reached £247 million in the third quarter of the year, up 17% on the same period last year.

Year-on-year passenger volumes increased by 12% to three million, including a 21% rise in the number of business customers.

Eurostar said the number of passengers from the US grew by 6%, with many people crossing the Atlantic to attend the Ryder Cup in September.

Leisure traffic was boosted by the new service between the UK and the Netherlands, with an additional 130,000 passengers travelling to Amsterdam and Rotterdam by high-speed rail since the route opened in April.

To meet demand, Eurostar will introduce a third direct daily service from London in June next year, and has plans to run four trains a day once the UK and Dutch governments complete an agreement to allow border screening on departure in the Netherlands, as happens in Paris and Brussels.

Eurostar chief executive Mike Cooper said the business has recorded “good results and healthy demand”.

He went on: “After a strong summer period the business has continued to perform very well, buoyed up by our new London-to-Amsterdam service which has transformed travel between these important capital cities.

“The potential of our Amsterdam route is significant as the Netherlands is becoming increasingly popular as a business and tourist destination.”

Mr Cooper told the Press Association he is “absolutely of the view” there will be no change to the passenger experience once the UK withdraws from the European Union.

He said: “Politicians are absolutely engaged and determined to get a solution.

“Even in the event of a no-deal, what I see is emerging views on bilateral solutions between the UK and France.

“We’re confident that come March 29 we’ll be transporting our customers across the Channel.”

Department for Transport guidance on the potential impact of a no-deal Brexit says the UK is seeking bilateral arrangements with France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Ireland to “facilitate the continued smooth functioning of cross-border rail services”.