Eurostar is adding a striking new feature to its future double-decker trains: a two-storey cocktail bar that will be open to all passengers. The bar will form part of the new Alstom Celestia trains, which are due to enter service from 2031 as Eurostar prepares for a more competitive era on the Channel Tunnel. But it’s not set in stone the Celestias will be used to travel to England (at first).
The operator says the bar will have a different atmosphere and design on each level, making use of the views offered by the two-storey layout. Eurostar describes it as a “star attraction” of the bespoke train interior, while CEO Gwendoline Cazenave has compared the concept to a speakeasy bar.
“We want to create something really special for customers, with a different ambience and vibe upstairs and downstairs, making the most of the double-decker views,” a Eurostar spokesperson said. The bar will be staffed by Eurostar employees, drawing on the experience of the cocktail bars in the company’s premium lounges.
The Celestia trains were first announced in 2025 as part of a major fleet renewal programme. Eurostar plans a fleet of up to 50 double-decker high-speed trains, with the new trains expected to carry around 20% more passengers than the company’s existing fleet. The first passenger services are scheduled for May 2031.
The trains are intended to operate across Eurostar’s network, with the company also planning services to destinations including Geneva in Switzerland and Frankfurt in Germany. Their greater capacity is part of Eurostar’s ambition to increase annual passenger numbers from around 20 million to 30 million.
Summer heat
The new fleet is also being designed with Europe‘s increasingly hot summers in mind. Eurostar has decided to equip the trains with air conditioning capable of operating in temperatures of up to 55°C.
“These trains will enter service in 2031 and run into the 2060s, so it’s essential to be prepared for the future,” a Eurostar spokesperson said.
Preparing for competition
The investment comes as Eurostar prepares to lose its long-standing monopoly on direct high-speed passenger services through the Channel Tunnel. After more than three decades without a direct competitor, several operators are developing plans to enter the market.
Virgin Trains is targeting a launch from 2030. In August, Great Britain‘s Office of Rail and Road approved a track-access agreement allowing the company to operate up to 20 daily return services between London in the United Kingdom and Paris in France, Brussels in Belgium or Amsterdam in the Netherlands, between October 2030 and December 2040. Virgin still needs to secure access to the Channel Tunnel and rail networks in mainland Europe.
Italy‘s state-backed Trenitalia France, part of the Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS Group), is targeting London–Paris services as early as 2029. The company has ordered 19 high-speed trains and is developing a maintenance facility near Paris.
Other companies have also announced ambitions to compete with Eurostar, including Italian operator Italo, Dutch start-ups Heurotrain, and GoVolta, Spanish-British operator Evolyn and British start-up Gemini Trains. Gemini has said it hopes to launch in 2029, initially serving Paris, Lille and Brussels from Stratford International before expanding towards Cologne and Eastern Europe.
The arrival of new operators is also prompting changes on the London side of the Channel. St Pancras International is expanding its passenger-handling facilities, with work scheduled for completion by 2028. The project is intended to more than double processing capacity, from around 2,000 to 5,000 passengers per hour.
Against that backdrop, Eurostar is positioning its next-generation trains not only around speed and capacity but also around the onboard experience. The two-storey cocktail bar is among the first details revealed about the Celestia interior, with the operator promising further features and “new surprises” before the trains enter service.
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