(MENAFN) Eurostar has unveiled plans to operate double-decker trains through the Channel Tunnel for the first time.

The cross-channel rail service provider has confirmed that it will place an order for up to 50 trains from the manufacturer Alstom, which would expand its fleet by nearly 30%.

This expansion will also include significant investments in a key depot in London, as per the company's announcement.

However, there are concerns regarding whether the London facility will have enough capacity to accommodate both Eurostar and potential competitors in the future.

Under a €2bn (£1.74bn) agreement confirmed on Wednesday, Eurostar has committed to purchasing 30 "Celestia" trains, with the option to order 20 additional units. The first six trains are expected to enter service by 2031.

Each train will measure 200 meters in length, and when paired together, as is the current practice, the combined 400-meter-long service will offer around 1,080 seats.

These trains will mark the first time double-decker high-speed trains are used through the Channel Tunnel, a significant milestone.

The only previous double-decker passenger service in Britain was an experiment launched in 1949.

Eurostar's CEO, Gwendoline Cazenave, expressed her pride in introducing these double-decker trains to the UK for the first time, emphasizing that they would provide "exceptional comfort."

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