Plans for a new high-speed connection between the UK and Germany could mean future Christmas market trips are easier than ever.

Currently, Brits who want to take the Eurostar to Cologne or Frankfurt have to change at either Brussels or Paris, making the journey several hours long and requiring them to face the inconvenience that comes with switching trains. However, direct trains between these cities are now “one step closer” to being available, with a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed this week between Eurostar and Deutsche Bahn (DB), the national railway company of Germany. This could mean high-speed connections between London and major German cities as early as 2030.

The service would utilise Eurostar’s new double-decker Celestia fleet, which has the potential for high passenger capacity along the line. Proposed routes include a direct service from London to Cologne in four hours, and between London and Frankfurt in five hours, offering a comfortable and fast alternative to flights.

In a statement, Keir Starmer said: “This brings us one step closer to a new rail link that will put Britain at the heart of a better-connected Europe and paves the way for increased trade, tourism and investment.”

A direct service would make it easier for Brits to visit popular attractions such as German Christmas markets, without needing to take a flight.

Frankfurt Christmas Market is one of the country’s oldest and is extremely popular with tourists. The half-timbered buildings in its town squares, Römerberg and Paulsplatz in the old town, are covered in Christmas lights, giving it a traditional festive feel. In addition to the main market, there are smaller themed markets that run during advent. This year, there’s the Christmas Market of Frankfurt Artists and a brand new Frankfurt Children’s Christmas Market, which will include trees decorated by kids, tents with storytellers and other entertainment, and child-friendly food.

Cologne hosts several Christmas markets across the city, so a direct Eurostar link would no doubt make this a popular destination for Brits. Cologne Cathedral Market is the most popular, standing in the city’s Roncalliplatz, and offers a traditional German market experience. The Harbor Christmas Market is also popular with visitors to the city, as it has a huge Ferris wheel that offers views across the Rhine.

Earlier this year, it was announced that Eurostar was also planning to implement direct services from London to Geneva, linking the city with one of Switzerland’s major financial hubs.

Over the summer, the BBC reported that the new link could mean trains from London to Geneva take just five hours. However, there were questions over whether the Eurostar depot had enough space at its East London depot to house the larger trains that would be required for continental journeys.

Eurostar also faces competition from other firms that want to start offering UK to Europe train journeys, including Virgin, which announced in October that it was “on track” to launch a service utilising the Channel Tunnel. This rival service aims to connect London St Pancras International with Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam by 2030, before expanding to further locations across Europe.

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