Eurostar, the cross-Channel high-speed rail service, now requires passengers to wear face masks when travelling on board its trains. Operating out of St Pancras station in London, Eurostar delivers passengers to French cities like Calais, Paris, Lille and Lyon. Furthermore, in winter, it provides travel to the Alps. It also offers a high-speed service to Brussels, Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
Eurostar has stated that passengers must wear a face mask or face covering at its stations and on board its trains, which aligns with the guidelines announced by the French and Belgian governments. It specifies that any type of mask is suitable as long as it effectively covers the passenger’s nose and mouth. “If you don’t have a mask you may be refused travel on our services,” it states. “We’d like to advise you that fines may be imposed in France and Belgium if you’re not wearing a mask.”
Following the French government’s decision to tighten border controls due to the pandemic, passengers can currently cross the border into mainland Europe under certain conditions. Essential workers, EU citizens returning to their main residence, and UK and non-EU citizens with a residency permit in an EU country are permitted to travel. Moreover, anyone travelling into France or departing via Eurostar needs to complete two forms to ensure their journey is deemed necessary.
Passengers will need the following forms: the “International Circulation Attestation to Mainland France” and the “Attestation de deplacement derogatoire.” It is essential for passengers to carry these forms alongside their travel documents, as they may be asked to present them during their journey. For further information, please visit Eurostar’s website here.
