Plans for direct trains from London St Pancras to Germany and Switzerland: Simon Calder explains all

Trains could soon go direct from St Pancras International in London to cities such as Milan, Frankfurt and Geneva in under six hours, as the station looks to expand its capacity for European travel with the help of different train operators.

The station's owner, London St Pancras Highspeed, believes the increase in connections across the continent will be "really competitive with short-haul air travel".

Meanwhile, Getlink, the company behind Eurotunnel, said it is "keen" to push forward "attractive opportunities for low-carbon mobility".