Eurostar is preparing for unprecedented heat across Europe with a new fleet of trains designed to withstand temperatures of up to 55C.
Following intense heatwaves, including a record-breaking high of 37.7Cin the UK in June, Eurostar has said it will upgrade its new fleet with air conditioning capable of operating at 55C.
The Channel Tunnel rail operator upgraded its order with French manufacturer Alstom earlier this month to “be prepared for the future”.
Last year, Eurostar announced a €2 billion (£1.7 billion) investment in up to 50 new double-decker all-electric “Celestia” trains.
It said: “We’ve confirmed an order for 30 trains, with an option for a further 20, marking a significant step in our growth journey to 30 million annual passengers.
“The new fleet, named Eurostar Celestia, will be a bespoke design created from Alstom’s Avelia Horizon platform. The 200-metre trains will be interoperable across all five countries served today plus new destinations of Geneva and Frankfurt.”
The international rail operator had originally selected an air-conditioning option capable of operating in temperatures up to 45C for the new trains.
France recorded its hottest temperature ever since national record-keeping began, with the thermostat reaching 44.3C in the town of Pissos, near Bordeaux last month.
New trains are expected to enter service in 2031, running well into the 2060s.
A Eurostar spokesperson said: “A decision has been taken to equip our new fleet of up to 50 Celestia trains with air conditioning capable of operating in temperatures up to 55 degrees.
“These trains will enter service in 2031 and run into the 2060s, so it’s essential to be prepared for the future.”
Gwendoline Cazenave, Eurostar’s chief executive, told The Telegraph: “We are buying trains that will last 30 years, and we thought maybe in the 2060s, even in the UK, the temperatures could reach those levels. It’s more expensive, but it will be worth it.”
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