The brand new train line that will link two of Europe's most loved cities

A new high-speed rail line could connect two of Europe’s best-loved cities and accommodate up to 5,000 passengers and hour.

St Pancras station aims to triple its international passenger numbers, which could be achieved by opening a new service to Milan.

Before it gets that far, however, destinations could include Frankfurt, Cologne, Geneva, and Zurich.

The move by London St Pancras Highspeed hopes to compete with Eurostar and other international railway operators and increase the number of passengers serviced from 1,800 an hour to 5,000.

It will be a joint operation between London St Pancras Highspeed and Getlink, the company that operates the Channel Tunnel and already has companies vying for control.

Evolyn, set up by investors in National Express, is reportedly among those competing alongside Virgin Group, which will order a dozen high-speed trains for the tunnel, according to The Times.

It is currently unclear when the new routes will be up and running, but it is unlikely before 2030 as operators will need to buy trains and be granted permission to operate them.

St Pancras will also need to be redesigned to accommodate new international routes, as it is currently prone to long queues.

Current plans to ease delays, including new e-gates at the French border, could increase passenger numbers to 2,400 an hour within four years.

A memorandum between London St Pancras Highspeed and Getlink states their commitment to shorter journeys, better timetables, and increased services.

Yann Leriche, CEO of Getlink, said: “We are keen to drive forward attractive opportunities for low-carbon [travel] with a range of new destinations in Germany, Switzerland and France.

“This partnership with London St Pancras Highspeed is essential for accelerating this momentum.”

Robert Sinclair, CEO of London St Pancras Highspeed, added: “Joining forces with Eurotunnel is another exciting step on our journey to realise a future where high-speed rail is the preferred option for travelling to Europe.

“As we see demand for international rail travel grow we have an important role to play as key infrastructure managers to actively work together to encourage new and existing train operators to expand capacity and launch new destinations unlocking the potential of a fully connected Europe.”