Eurostar / British Rail / SNCF / NMBS

Eurostar began operations through the Channel Tunnel on 14 November 1994, jointly operated by European Passenger Services (a British Railways subsidiary), SNCF of France, and NMBS/SNCB of Belgium — the first regular passenger service linking Britain to continental Europe by railway since the Tunnel's opening in May 1994. The service transformed travel between London, Paris, and Brussels, reducing journey times to levels that made the train competitive with air for the first time and establishing the Eurostar brand as one of the most commercially successful high-speed rail operations in Europe.

The original rolling stock was the Class 373 'TransManche Super Train' — an 18 or 20-car variant of the French TGV platform designed for the specific requirements of Channel Tunnel operation, including tri-voltage capability (25 kV AC in France and Belgium, 25 kV AC on High Speed 1, and 750 V DC third-rail in the Kent approach), automatic gauge adjustment at the tunnel entrance, and the comprehensive fire safety systems required for an undersea tunnel. Services initially operated from London Waterloo International, moving to St Pancras International in 2007 when High Speed 1 opened the dedicated high-speed approach through Kent.

The Class 373 fleet was supplemented and progressively replaced by the Class 374 'e320' (Siemens Velaro) from 2015, capable of 320 km/h on the high-speed lines. Eurostar was restructured as a single private company in 2010, acquired the Paris–Brussels–Amsterdam Thalys operator in 2024, and continues to operate one of Europe's most prestigious and commercially significant international rail services.