Eurostar thrives as sterling hits the buffers

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle5507604.ece

From Times Online
January 13, 2009
Eurostar thrives as sterling hits the buffers
Carl Mortished, World Business Editor

The collapse of sterling is giving an extra boost to Eurostar, the
Channel Tunnel passenger rail operator, as shoppers from Paris and
Brussels flocked to London last month in search of bargains.

Eurostar's volumes rose by a tenth overall last year; however, traffic
from the Continent to London rose by 15 per cent in December.

Richard Brown, the chief executive of Eurostar, said that the weakness
of the pound was helping the business as it generated more traffic
from passengers in the eurozone.

He said: "We are an international business, and while the pound is
weak, that means that London is much cheaper for people coming from
France and Belgium, so we have seen 15 per cent and more growth in
visitors coming to London, a lot of them using our shops and buying
stuff here in London."
Related Links

* Train plan to allay environmental fears

* Germans seek to buy British out of Eurostar

* Plans for a new 200mph rail network

Ticket sales rose by 11 per cent in 2008 to £664 million, helped by
the publicity generated from the opening of High Speed 1, the
dedicated rail link from St Pancras International station in London to
the Channel Tunnel.

Eurostar said that the fire in the tunnel in September, the effect of
which is still hindering the frequency and speed of journeys, has
affected the rate of growth in traffic.

However, the economic downturn was having no visible effect on
passenger traffic.

Mr Brown said that the million extra passengers during the first year
of High Speed 1 operations, despite the fire incident, demonstrated
that people prefer rail to short-haul air travel.

He said: "They are switching because rail journeys are faster, more
punctual, more convenient and have less environmental impact."

He said that Eurostar had achieved punctuality levels of 92 per cent
of trains arriving on time, compared with 65 per cent for airlines
travelling the same routes.

In message
, at
06:13:25 on Tue, 13 Jan 2009, Katherine Wiel
remarked:
He said: "They are switching because rail journeys are faster, more
punctual, more convenient and have less environmental impact."

While it would be nice to think this was true (and I support the use of
E*), I expect the main reason people choose one over the other is ticket
price.

And it's odd to see them ignoring this, when the article starts by
quoting them as saying it's London's lower shop prices (in Euros) that's
driving the increase.
--
Roland Perry

Roland Perry wrote:
In message
, at
06:13:25 on Tue, 13 Jan 2009, Katherine Wiel
remarked:
He said: "They are switching because rail journeys are faster, more
punctual, more convenient and have less environmental impact."

While it would be nice to think this was true (and I support the use of
E*), I expect the main reason people choose one over the other is ticket
price.

More of a PR stunt as regards the benefits of Eurostar travel. Ticket
prices for those coming in from France or Belgium won't have come down
in price. E* have a set of round trip rates set in EUR for that market.
Of course prices will fluctuate according to the normal yield management
quotas. Traditionally January is a slack month and no doubt some cheap
deals can be found because there are plenty of seats.

And it's odd to see them ignoring this, when the article starts by
quoting them as saying it's London's lower shop prices (in Euros) that's
driving the increase.

The same is happening in Ireland. Shops in the North were seeing a huge
influx of customers before Christmas coming in from quite some distance
in the South because of the exchange rate:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7794882.stm

--
Phil Richards, London, UK
3,600+ railway photos since 1980 at:
http://europeanrail.fotopic.net
http://britishrail.fotopic.net

In message , at 20:01:55 on Tue, 13
Jan 2009, Phil Richards remarked:
He said: "They are switching because rail journeys are faster, more
punctual, more convenient and have less environmental impact."
While it would be nice to think this was true (and I support the use
of E*), I expect the main reason people choose one over the other is
ticket price.

More of a PR stunt as regards the benefits of Eurostar travel. Ticket
prices for those coming in from France or Belgium won't have come down
in price.

It's not that E* prices are now cheaper, but that they [might] cost less
than a plane.

E* have a set of round trip rates set in EUR for that market. Of course
prices will fluctuate according to the normal yield management quotas.
Traditionally January is a slack month and no doubt some cheap deals
can be found because there are plenty of seats.

Indeed, I'm getting a Leisure Select trip this month for a little under
£70 each way.

The same is happening in Ireland. Shops in the North were seeing a huge
influx of customers before Christmas coming in from quite some distance
in the South because of the exchange rate:

But they are driving!
--
Roland Perry

"Katherine Wiel" a écrit dans le message de
...
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle5507604.ece

From Times Online
January 13, 2009
Eurostar thrives as sterling hits the buffers
Carl Mortished, World Business Editor

The collapse of sterling is giving an extra boost to Eurostar, the
Channel Tunnel passenger rail operator, as shoppers from Paris and
Brussels flocked to London last month in search of bargains.

Eurostar's volumes rose by a tenth overall last year; however, traffic
from the Continent to London rose by 15 per cent in December.

Richard Brown, the chief executive of Eurostar, said that the weakness
of the pound was helping the business as it generated more traffic
from passengers in the eurozone.

He said: "We are an international business, and while the pound is
weak, that means that London is much cheaper for people coming from
France and Belgium, so we have seen 15 per cent and more growth in
visitors coming to London, a lot of them using our shops and buying
stuff here in London."
Related Links

* Train plan to allay environmental fears

* Germans seek to buy British out of Eurostar

* Plans for a new 200mph rail network

Ticket sales rose by 11 per cent in 2008 to £664 million, helped by
the publicity generated from the opening of High Speed 1, the
dedicated rail link from St Pancras International station in London to
the Channel Tunnel.

Eurostar said that the fire in the tunnel in September, the effect of
which is still hindering the frequency and speed of journeys, has
affected the rate of growth in traffic.

However, the economic downturn was having no visible effect on
passenger traffic.

Mr Brown said that the million extra passengers during the first year
of High Speed 1 operations, despite the fire incident, demonstrated
that people prefer rail to short-haul air travel.

He said: "They are switching because rail journeys are faster, more
punctual, more convenient and have less environmental impact."

He said that Eurostar had achieved punctuality levels of 92 per cent
of trains arriving on time, compared with 65 per cent for airlines
travelling the same routes.

"Phil Richards" wrote

The same is happening in Ireland. Shops in the North were seeing a huge
influx of customers before Christmas coming in from quite some distance
in the South because of the exchange rate:

At least the cross-border trade is legal these days. It wasn't legal during
WW2, but an enormous amount of smuggling took place, mainly by train. On one
occasion in July 1942 the 5 pm from Bundoran was so delayed while its
occupants were searched that it didn't get to Belfast until 4 am. On another
occasion a search of a Dublin - Belfast express produced something from
practically every passenger, including 800 lb of butter, boxes of
chocolates, saucepans, kettles, knives, forks, boots, shoes, vast quantities
of every commodity scarce in the uk and plentiful in Eire.

Peter

Katherine Wiel wrote:

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle5507604.ece

From Times Online
January 13, 2009
Eurostar thrives as sterling hits the buffers
Carl Mortished, World Business Editor

The collapse of sterling is giving an extra boost to Eurostar, the
Channel Tunnel passenger rail operator, as shoppers from Paris and
Brussels flocked to London last month in search of bargains.
------------------

GM replies:

It appears to be an auto - erotic system of sensational spectacle with no
end in sight...


--
Best
Greg