The Eurostar train was the first truly international service operating out of
Great Britain. Although much earlier services such as
The Norseman had been
designed to put passengers on direct connections to other countries, and boat trains had passed carriages between countries, Britain's island status had until the 1990s precluded a integral, truly international service. The introduction of the
Channel Tunnel enabled the operation of direct, non-stop services between
London,
Paris and
Brussels, and further destinations are planned. The trains are high-speed electric multiple units, similar to the
French TGV, and painted in a distinctive
navy blue and
yellow
livery.
Waterloo International
\
\
\
Ashford International
\
\ Bruxelles Midi
\--}---------{---Calais Fréthun----\ /
\ /
\--Lille--/
\
\
\
Paris Gare du Nord
Interchange to
UK internal services at
Waterloo and
Ashford; to
London
Underground Northern,
Jubilee,
Waterloo and City and
Bakerloo Lines at
Waterloo, to
French
internal services at
Calais,
Lille and
Gare du Nord; to the
Paris
Metro at
Gare du Nord; and to
Belgian internal and metro services at
Midi.