A faster, more sustainable way to travel between the two countries is on track for development.
The modern rail renaissance is showing no signs of coming to a halt, with more travellers than ever seeking the more scenic and eco-friendly alternative to flying. An easier way to get from London to Switzerland is set to go full steam ahead as Eurostar announces the launch of a direct route between the two destinations.
Currently, the fastest rail journey from London St Pancras to Switzerland takes seven and a half hours via Paris Gare du Nord, changing to a TGV Lyria train to Zurich. The new direct route, run by Western Europe’s largest international high-speed rail network, will cut the travel time by more than an hour, allowing travellers to get to Basel within five hours and Zurich within six.
Eurostar currently operates in five countries. (Credit: Serge Cornu/Getty)
Eurostar currently connects 28 destinations across the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. Last year, the rail company announced three new networks were in the pipeline: London-to-Frankfurt, London-to-Geneva and Amsterdam/Brussels-Geneva. The train company is investing €2 billion in 50 new trains.
The new London to Switzerland route is a direct response to the increased desire for more sustainable travel and the rapidly growing interest in Switzerland in the UK travel market.
Once in Switzerland, travellers can embark on some of the most scenic train journeys in the world, including the 8-hour Glacier Express journey from Zermatt to St Moritz.
When will tickets for the new route be bookable?
The new route will stop at Basel and Zurich. (Credit: Serge Cornu/Getty)
Ready to book your ticket? You might need to wait a little longer than expected as the new route is only in the planning stages. Eurostar have signed a ‘memorandum of understanding’ with the Swiss Federal Railways and French SNCF Voyageur, an informal agreement to the project before further plans are established and a contract is signed.
Right now, Eurostar is predicting the new route won’t be up and running until the 2030s.
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Rachael Thompson is a freelance travel journalist, editor and hotel addict based in the UK. She was formerly International Traveller's Evergreen Editor and was responsible for the foundational content ahead of its website relaunch, as well as managing and growing the brand’s destination guides. With a background in design and travel media, Rachael is dedicated to creating content that is as much informational as it is beautiful. She began her career at Belle magazine, before taking up editorial roles at Homes to Love and Bed Threads. Next on her travel wish list is Malta.
Temperatures are soaring this summer, breaking records across Europe and the UK.
Euro summer is a feeling like no other. But when a heatwave hits? The dream trip quickly turns into a sweaty mess. Extreme heat is sweeping Europe and the UK this week, with record-high temperatures impacting travel plans across the continent.
And while Australian summers are typically hotter in absolute temperature, many European cities aren’t equipped for high temperatures, resulting in unbearable weather.
Why is it so hot in Europe?
Signs of a hot summer loomed in May, when the mercury hit unprecedented spring highs. Now, extreme high temperature warning alerts have been issued in countries such as Spain, Italy, France, England, the Netherlands and Germany.
France saw its hottest day on record on Wednesday, with an average temperature of 30°C across the day and night. This surpasses the average temperature for June, which is 15°C to 25°C. Dozens of people have died, including 40 from drowning.
In Spain, 212 deaths have been linked to the heatwave.
The UK recorded its hottest June day ever on Wednesday with temperatures soaring to 36.1°C. In an article published by the Met Office – the UK’s national meteorological service – Professor Stephen Belcher CBE, Met Office Chief Scientist, shared his concerns about June’s heat. “To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering. Events like this bring home the implications of climate change, with very high temperatures and humidity bringing significant health implications from heat stress, as well as impacts to a range of sectors such as transport, energy and water supply,” he said.
Heatwaves are becoming increasingly common in Europe and the UK, neither of which is prepared for such extremes. The World Meteorological Organization reported that in 2025, at least 95% of Europe experienced above-average annual temperatures and that the continent was heating up twice as fast as the global average.
How travel is impacted
A pharmacy broadcasting local weather data. (Credit: Getty/Dragoncello)
During a heatwave, power grids, water systems and transport networks can be affected, resulting in disrupted itineraries for travellers. In France, power outages have left thousands without electricity and early closures have been implemented for two of Paris’s biggest attractions, the Eiffel Tower (early afternoon rather than late at night) and the Louvre (two hours early). Eurostar cancelled its London to Paris and Paris to London services from the 22nd to the 25th, and major UK rail companies have been advising travellers to avoid using trains where possible, or to travel during early hours.
If a heatwave is predicted, being flexible with your itinerary and having fully refundable/changeable tickets is key, as extreme heat can force the cancellation of outdoor activities, impact rail and flight services and change the opening hours of sites and eateries.
Why does summer in Europe often feel hotter than summer in Australia?
People swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris to cool off. (Credit: Rachael Thompson)
With some of the highest UV levels in the world, Australians are no strangers to the heat, adapting well to intense weather. But our infrastructure is largely equipped to withstand soaring temperatures with climate-responsive passive design, refrigerated air conditioning or evaporative coolers, as well as swimming spots aplenty.
Buildings in Northern and Western Europe and the UK, however, are constructed to retain heat and handle frosty winters. The lack of universal air conditioning means it generally feels hotter even though the temperature on your app might not look it. During a heatwave, it can feel like you’re in a sauna as cities act like heat traps.
How to stay cool and prepare for another heatwave
Relief is expected across Europe and the UK later this week, but more heatwaves are still possible in the coming months. Summer heat typically peaks in July and August.
Public transport often doesn’t have air conditioning, and buses in particular can be swelteringly hot. If you’re heading outside or your accommodation has no air conditioning, it’s worth buying a spray bottle and a handheld fan from a pharmacy or tourist stand. Check ahead of time if restaurants and cafes have air conditioning and make a booking in advance. The highest temperatures typically hit between 3pm and 6pm, so aim to head outdoors outside of these hours.
Rising temperatures invite travellers to enter a more intentional era of seeing the world. Now more than ever is the time to embrace lower-impact “coolcations” and off-season getaways.
