Track star

By Ben Thompson, Senior Editor

As CEO of high-speed rail operator Eurostar, Richard Brown is a central figure in one of the most exciting periods in the history of European railways. EU Infrastructure’s Senior Editor Ben Thompson caught up with him to discuss the future of rail in Europe and why expanding the network is critical.

The first thing you notice on arrival at Eurostar’s London headquarters is the gothic splendour of the recently revamped St Pancras station, the company’s new centre of operations. Over the past few years, a spectacular modernisation programme has seen the terminus transformed from a soot-smeared, unloved and half-empty shell of a building into one of the continent’s most impressive transport hubs. And as Europe’s gateway into London, St Pancras is set to be reborn as one of the capital’s iconic landmarks.

The catalyst for the renovation was Eurostar’s decision to relocate there from its previous base at Waterloo. The high-profile move, designed as the first stage in CEO Richard Brown’s grand plan to make the high-speed rail network more accessible to millions of Britons – and the UK more accessible to European visitors – has been an unprecedented success. Passenger numbers are up, journey times are down and Eurostar recently announced record sales figures. Brown is a happy man. But what other challenges are on the horizon for the company and its charismatic chief executive? EU Infrastructure caught up with him to find out.

EUI. There’s been a huge expansion in the high-speed rail network across continental Europe over the last few...