Eurostar cancels direct train between London and Disneyland Paris due to Brexit | Business newsletter

Eurostar will no longer operate direct train service between London and Disneyland Paris from 5 June next year.

The company said it wants to focus on its core routes, including London-Paris and London-Brussels, as it recovers from the impact of the COVID pandemic and faces the consequences of Brexit.

A Eurostar spokesman said: “We have decided not to run a direct Disney service between London and Marne-la-Vallee in the summer of 2023.

“While we continue our post-pandemic financial recovery and monitor the evolution of the proposed EU Entry system, we need to focus on our core routes to ensure we can continue to deliver the high level of service and experience our customers have come to expect.”

From next year, people coming from outside the European Union and the Schengen areas will have to have their fingerprints scanned and take a photo to register in the database.

The spokesperson added: “Passengers can still enjoy high-speed rail travel between London and Disneyland Paris, via Paris or Lille.”

She said customer bookings will not be affected as tickets remain unsold after June 5, adding that options for 2024 will be re-examined next year.

From London St Pancras to Marne-la-Vallee – the station next to Disneyland Paris in the east of the French capital – it takes just two hours and 24 minutes.

‘Hope in pragmatic thinking and practical solutions’

The route has been in operation since 1996, except for temporary halts during the pandemic.

Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, a network of more than 700 UK travel agents, said the news would be “disappointing”.

“Eurostar has suggested that they made this decision based on the logistical implications of Brexit, which does not surprise me.

“The reality is that Brexit has eliminated Britons’ ability to move freely across Europe, while also taking away the seamless and frictionless travel we all enjoyed before leaving the EU.

“Given that the UK is an important source market for Disneyland Paris, I expect that some pragmatic thinking and practical solutions will be required, similar to those implemented by Spain at some airports in Spain, allowing Britons to use the electronic gate upon entry.”