Section 1 (70 km) of Channel Tunnel Rail Link was inaugurated on September 16. From September 28, Eurostars will save 20 minutes on the travelling time between London and Paris, or Brussels. The 109 km Channel Tunnel Rail Link is the first new line to be built in Great Britain for over a hundred years... and the first high speed line ever.

It will run from the Channel Tunnel terminal near Folkestone to a new international station at St Pancras. By 2007, when Section 2 from Southfleet to St Pancras opens, the travelling time between Paris and London will be a mere 2 hours and 20 minutes.

SYSTRA is a founder partner of London & Continental Railways (LCR), the concessionnaire company, and a member of RLE, the engineering consortium, since 1996. Up to two hundred and fifty SYSTRA engineers and technicians have been involved in this project, more particularly in design and construction engineering, the overall supervision of works performance, design and implementation of the test programme, acceptance and commissioning, preparation for the maintenance of the new line. It is noteworthy that this project is being delivered on time and within budget.