CHANNEL TUNNEL | Uber Trains-branded Gemini Trains plan London-Brussels and London-Paris route via Stratford

A new contender has entered the race to break Eurostar’s long-standing monopoly through the Channel Tunnel. Gemini Trains, a British start-up, has revealed on 21 May 2025 ambitious plans to launch high-speed international rail services linking London in England with Paris in France and Brussels in Belgium. In a move drawing significant attention, the company is partnering with transport platform Uber for a co-branding initiative that will see trains marketed and ticketed through the Uber app.

While the partnership provides much-needed brand visibility for Gemini, the proposal to operate out of Stratford International in East London, rather than the traditional hub at London St. Pancras, has sparked debate among rail experts.

Co-branding for visibility, nut trains still years away

The partnership between Gemini Trains and Uber Trains mirrors a previous collaboration between Uber and the Thames Clippers ferry service in London.

Under the deal, trains will be co-branded with Uber and tickets will be sold through its app, but operations will remain entirely under Gemini’s control.

Uber’s general manager in the United Kingdom, Andrew Brem, said this collaboration marks another step in broadening the company’s transport offering in the UK, building on the momentum it has seen from diversifying modes of travel.

For Gemini, which is still in the development phase, the Uber name offers instant global recognition—crucial in a highly competitive market where other players like Virgin Group and Italy’s Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS), better known as Trenitalia, are also vying to enter the cross-Channel space.

Gemini’s CEO Adrian Quine described the partnership as an exciting step that aligns with the company’s mission to deliver innovation and value, with cutting-edge trains and a streamlined customer experience.

Branding, yes, but where are the trains?

Yet Gemini has yet to procure rolling stock or secure funding for its proposed ten new high-speed trains. The company has submitted a request for access to the Eurostar-controlled Temple Mills maintenance depot, which is limited in capacity.

The start-up is targeting a launch in 2029 or 2030—an ambitious timeline given the absence of secured capital, manufacturing contracts, or regulatory approval.

This idea of an Uber livery was made by ChatGPT.

Stratford: an alternative gateway or a miscalculation?

Central to Gemini’s pitch is the proposal to launch services not from St. Pancras, but from Stratford International.

The station, located in East London and served by the Elizabeth Line, Underground, Overground, and national rail, was originally built with international ambitions as part of the High Speed 1 (HS1) project.

However, despite its name and infrastructure, it has never hosted cross-Channel trains. Eurostar chose to centralise its operations at St. Pancras to avoid the costs and complexity of staffing multiple international terminals in close proximity.

Gemini’s CEO compared Stratford to London City Airport—smaller, faster, and less congested than larger transport hubs. The station’s proximity to Canary Wharf and strong connectivity via multiple rail lines were presented as key advantages. He argued that for many travellers, Stratford could offer similar or even shorter journey times to central London than St. Pancras.

However, rail experts have raised concerns about the technical and operational feasibility of the proposal. The platforms at Stratford are currently used by domestic Southeastern high-speed services, and international facilities have lain dormant for over a decade.

Rail Community Scepticism

Jon Worth, a well-known European rail analyst, expressed strong reservations about the Stratford plan. On BlueSky, he stated: “You could make a stop for Channel Tunnel trains at Stratford, but starting/ending there — due to the track layout — looks impossible. The platforms are concrete bunker like, the capacity for a terminal unknown. So I’m sceptical.”

Worth’s comments underscore wider doubts in the railway community about whether Stratford can function as a viable terminal for cross-border services.

Turning the station into a fully operational international terminal would require the installation of passport control, security screening, and track layout modifications. All costly and time-consuming undertakings.

The return of Ebbsfleet?

Gemini’s plans also include reinstating international services at Ebbsfleet International in Kent, which lost its Eurostar connections in 2020. The company highlighted the station’s motorway links and large parking capacity as assets that could support its cross-Channel ambitions.

Eurostar has so far resisted calls to return to Ebbsfleet and Ashford, citing cost concerns and a focus on core routes.

If Gemini succeeds, it would reintroduce international departures from these regional hubs and potentially ease pressure on St. Pancras. But even this step would require significant coordination with border authorities and infrastructure operators.

A crowded and competitive future

Gemini is one of several challengers eyeing the underutilised High Speed 1 and Channel Tunnel routes. Both are currently operating at about half capacity.

Infrastructure operator London St. Pancras Highspeed has projected that passenger numbers could rise from 11 million today to 35 million pounds by 2040, suggesting ample room for growth.

Despite the Uber branding and a novel route strategy, Gemini still faces substantial hurdles. The company must overcome regulatory barriers, funding gaps, and intense competition, not to mention logistical doubts over its chosen terminal.

In this race to rival Eurostar, brand power alone may not be enough. Without rolling stock, depot access, or proven infrastructure at Stratford, Gemini’s journey from vision to reality remains uncertain.

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CHANNEL TUNNEL | Uber Trains-branded Gemini Trains plan London-Brussels and London-Paris route via Stratford