Eurostar to launch double-decker cocktail bars on new trains

New Eurostar trains will feature double-decker on board bars as their “star attraction”.

The two-storey drinks area will have a different ambience on each floor, be hosted by staff and be accessible to all passengers, said the rail operator.

Eurostar announced its plans to operate double-decker trains in the UK for the first time in October 2025.

The fully electric fleet will be named Eurostar Celestia, derived from the Latin word caelestis, meaning “heavenly”. The train is due to enter service in 2031.

A €2bn (£1.7bn) agreement has been reached with French manufacturer Alstom to build the trains in factories in France, where the manufacturer has its headquarters.

Compared with the operator’s existing fleet of 17 single-decker Siemens-built e320s, the new trains will have 20 per cent more seats, a lower floor and be 16cm taller.

They will operate in addition to the e320s, meaning Eurostar will have up to 67 trains.

The double-decker bars are set to be a key attraction on the new trains as other operators threaten Eurostar’s Channel Tunnel crown.

In August, Virgin Trains received approval from the ORR to operate a cross-Channel rail service, challenging Eurostar’s three-decade-long monopoly.

A Eurostar spokesperson said: “The two-storey bar will be a star attraction of the bespoke train design. 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.

“Open to everyone on board, our staff will have the starring role, hosting the bar like our cocktail bars in our Eurostar Premier lounges.”

Following record-breaking heat in the UK this summer, the new fleet will also be equipped with air conditioning capable of operating in temperatures up to 55 degrees.

Read more: Eurostar to operate double-decker trains in the UK for the first time