Eurostar is the high-speed train service that connects London with Paris through the Channel Tunnel.
The service began in 1994 after the tunnel opened beneath the English Channel. Eurostar trains run from London St Pancras International to Paris Gare du Nord, crossing between Britain and continental Europe through the 50-kilometre tunnel, whose undersea section is about 38 kilometres long.
Eurostar was created as an international rail brand rather than as a national train type. Its routes later expanded to Brussels, Amsterdam and other destinations, and the service has used several generations of purpose-built trainsets. Passengers complete border and security checks before boarding because the United Kingdom is outside the Schengen Area.
The main mix-up is with the Channel Tunnel itself: Eurostar is the passenger service, while the tunnel is the infrastructure. TGV is France’s high-speed train system, ICE is Germany’s, and Thalys was a separate brand that became part of Eurostar’s wider operation.