The first Eurostar service to Paris left from the new international terminal at St Pancras in London today.
The environmentally-friendly train left the restored £800m station travelling along the new Channel Tunnel rail link, called High Speed 1.
Eurostar says its service will not be affected by strike action by rail workers across the French network today.
While commuters will welcome the new high speed service, which cuts the orginal travel time to Paris by 20 minutes, some residents' groups have staged protests complaining of increased congestion in the area. Cyclists groups are also claiming that access to the station for bicycles is sub-standard.
By staff writer
