High Speed 1, High-speed railway line in South East England and Greater London, United Kingdom
High Speed 1 is a railway line that connects London St Pancras International with the Channel Tunnel over a distance of 67 miles (108 kilometers) and serves four main stations. The route crosses Kent, Essex and Greater London through a mix of urban and rural areas.
The railway was completed in two stages: the first section from Folkestone to Ashford opened in 2003. Four years later the full connection to London opened and made high-speed travel between the British capital and continental Europe possible for the first time.
This railway connects the British rail network directly to the continental European high-speed system without changing trains. Travelers today experience a smooth transition between the transport networks of two political and geographic spaces.
Trains on this line run at speeds up to 186 miles per hour (300 kilometers per hour) and reduce the travel time between London and Paris to just over two hours. Travelers should note that security checks at stations take time and arriving early is recommended.
The infrastructure includes tunnels beneath the Thames and viaducts over the Medway that connect Britain to the European high-speed rail network. On some sections international Eurostar trains and British domestic trains share the same tracks.
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