Eurostar trains have finally reached the goal of transporting 10 million passengers.
The breakthrough result came in 2013.
Eurostar’s first services began in November 1994. At that time, it predicted it would carry 10 million by 1998.
Instead, victory was achieved only after 15 years. Reaching its goal was hampered by the rise of budget airlines as well as the impact of events such as the 2001 foot and mouth outbreak and the financial meltdown.
The Anglo-French operator has carried 140 million people since it began, and only narrowly missed the 10 million mark in 2012 when 9.9 million used the service, despite the Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
The company only turned its first profit in 2011, after 17 years in the red.
British taxpayers have a 40% holding in Eurostar, while the French state-owned rail company, SNCF, owns 55%. Belgium’s state rail operator owns the remaining 5% of Eurostar.
