Heuro has been in discussions to run 15 trips per day between Amsterdam & London
A Dutch startup is getting ready to compete with Eurostar in the Channel Tunnel.
Heuro hopes to launch its rail service in the next five to ten years.
It’s vying for competition with Eurostar and Spanish firm Evolyn. has also revealed plans for new Channel Tunnel services.
Virgin’s , Sir Richard Branson, is also working hard to break Eurostar’s monopoly.
All of them are trying to take advantage of the liberalisation in Europe’s train network, which made it easier to offer new services.
Maarten van den BIGgelaar is the leader of Heuro, a media entrepreneur and investor who has earned millions through his investments. Mr van den Biggelaar stated that Heuro had held discussions with rail manufacturers in order to ensure enough trains to run between Amsterdam and London 15 trips per day by 2027-2028, including stops at Brussels and Paris.
According to the current schedule, Eurostar only runs four trips between London and Amsterdam per weekday.
Van den Biggelaar stated: “Last Year, we saw a slight opening of the market in France. Italy and Spain.
After discussions with infrastructure managers, we investigated to see if there was an excess of possibilities.
In 2016, new EU regulations opened up the high-speed rail network of Europe to open access. This means that companies who do not currently operate routes can bid to get space on the track. The result has been a rush of new operators trying to get into the market.
Since its launch in 1994, Eurostar has had a relative monopoly over rail travel between London and Paris. For years, campaigners have argued for greater competition to lower fares.
Heuro, according to Dr Erich Forster of the Alliance of Passenger Rail New Entrants in Brussels, is the future of passenger railway.
“We are looking forward to a solution to the current situation, where the market is chronically unserviced with just one operator.”
Heuro, according to Mr van den Biggelaar, has already raised 10% of the funding it aimed for and is looking for two more investment rounds.
He said that the headquarters of the company could be located in Amsterdam, London, or Paris.
Van den Biggelaar started Dutch business magazine Quote at the end of the 1980s. The magazine, which published an annual list of 500 of the wealthiest Dutch people, was bought by French publisher Paris Match for €22m. Since then, Mr van den Biggelaar made a number of investments.