Medieval Meets High Tech
The first commercial running of Eurostar trains to Brussels and Paris from St. Pancras’ “railway cathedral” (the pride of 19th century London) was launched on a tide of Champagne this week. The last bit of high-speed track has been placed, cutting the Eurostar train’s journey from Paris to London to 2 hours and 15 minutes. Peak speed is 183 mph with an average speed of 130 mph. For reference, the NYC-to-Boston Acela averages 66 mph (top speed of 150 mph) and the Shanghai Maglev averages 142 mph (top speed: 268 mph).
“A taste of what lies ahead came from what Eurostar spokesmen described as the longest Champagne bar in Europe, a 100-meter, or 330-foot stretch of counters and tables that was crammed from midmorning with travelers and sightseers sipping Dom Perignon and other vintages from a vantage point that placed them only steps away from one of the Paris-bound trains, separated by a clear glass wall.”
