High Speed 1

High Speed 1
High Speed 1
	High Speed 1 approaching the Medway Viaducts
Overview
Owner	UK Government ; under concession to: HICL Infrastructure, Equitix, National Pension Service of Korea (until 2040)
Locale	Greater London; Essex; Kent;
Termini	London St Pancras International; Channel Tunnel (UK portal);
Stations	4
Website	highspeed1.co.uk
Service
Type	High-speed rail
System	National Rail
Operator(s)	DB Cargo UK, Eurostar, Southeastern
History
Opened	2003 (Section 1); 2007 (Section 2);
Technical
Line length	109.9 km (68.3 mi)
Number of tracks	Double track throughout
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Loading gauge	UIC GC
Electrification	Overhead line, 25 kV 50 Hz AC
Operating speed	300 km/h (190 mph)
Signalling	TVM-430, KVB, AWS, TPWS
Route map
High Speed 1; (Channel Tunnel Rail Link)
	0 km
	0 mi
	London St Pancras
	International
	7.5 km
	4.7 mi
	9 km
	6 mi
	10 km
	6 mi
	London, Tilbury & Southend line
	to North London line
	21 km
	13 mi
	0.5 km
	0.3 mi
	27 km
	17 mi
	Aveley viaduct
	over LT&S
	1.0 km
	0.6 mi
	30 km
	19 mi
	1.2 km
	0.7 mi
	32 km
	20 mi
	2.5 km
	1.6 mi
	37 km
	23 mi
	Section 1
	Section 2
	Chatham Main Line
	to London Waterloo
	39 km
	24 mi
	Singlewell passing loop
	and depot
	50 km
	31 mi
	1.2 km
	0.7 mi
	54 km
	34 mi
	3.2 km
	2 mi
	88 km
	55 mi
	Ashford cut and
	cover tunnel
	1.5 km
	0.9 mi
	90 km
	56 mi
	91 km
	57 mi
	1.5 km
	0.9 mi
	106 km
	66 mi
	108 km
	67 mi
	High Speed 1 / Network Rail
	Getlink
	110 km
	68 mi
	Channel Tunnel
	to France & LGV Nord

High Speed 1 (HS1), legally the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), is a 109.9-kilometre (68.3-mile) high-speed railway linking London with the Channel Tunnel.

It is part of the line carrying international passenger traffic between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe; it also carries domestic passenger traffic to and from stations in Kent and east London, and continental European loading gauge freight traffic. From the Channel Tunnel, the line crosses the River Medway, and tunnels under the River Thames, terminating at London St Pancras International station on the north side of central London. It cost £6.84 billion to build and opened on 14 November 2007. Trains run at speeds of up to 300 km/h (190 mph) on HS1. Intermediate stations are at Stratford International in London, Ebbsfleet International in northern Kent and Ashford International in southern Kent.

International passenger services are provided by Eurostar International, with journey times from London St Pancras International to Paris Gare du Nord in 2 hours 15 minutes, and London St Pancras International to Brussels South/Bruxelles-Midi/Brussel Zuid in 1 hour and 51 minutes. As of November 2015, Eurostar uses a fleet of 27 Class 373/1 multi-system trains capable of 300 km/h (190 mph) and 320 km/h (200 mph) Class 374 trains. Domestic high-speed commuter services serving the intermediate stations and beyond began on 13 December 2009. The fleet of 29 Class 395 passenger trains reach speeds of 225 km/h (140 mph). DB Cargo UK run freight services on High Speed 1 using adapted Class 92 locomotives, enabling flat wagons carrying continental-size swap body containers to reach London for the first time.

The CTRL project saw new bridges and tunnels built, with a combined length nearly as long as the Channel Tunnel itself, and significant archaeological research undertaken. In 2002, the CTRL project was awarded the Major Project Award at the British Construction Industry Awards. The line was transferred to government ownership in 2009, with a 30-year concession for its operation awarded to a consortium of Borealis Infrastructure (part of Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System) and Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan in November 2010.

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