Flash interiors, fancy food and maybe even a bar: Virgin has unveiled a mock-up of its future cross-Channel train, with a pledge to create "something genuinely new".
The group is planning to launch rail services from London to the continent in 2030, with Eurostar facing competition for the first time since the opening of the Channel tunnel.
Virgin has ordered 12 high-speed trains from the manufacturer Alstom, matching Eurostar's for speed at up to 190mph (300km/h) but aiming to outshine the incumbent on design and customer experience.
While Virgin's last stab at reimagining UK train travel may have peaked with the talking toilet seat on its intercity services in 2013, it has said the future trains will draw inspiration from its airline, cruise and hotel arms.
Although details are being kept under wraps, it said it would draw on Virgin Atlantic's airport lounges, or Clubhouses, for "pre-departure and onboard social spaces" with "more flexibility to work, relax or socialise in style". Food will be influenced by its cruise line menu and the design by its Virgin Hotels brand.
Virgin Trains is expecting to introduce 20 daily return services between London, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam from 2030, adding almost 7.5m seats a year to the cross-Channel network, creating up to 1,000 new jobs.
Josh Bayliss, the chief executive of Virgin Group, said: "Virgin has a proud history in UK rail. With our latest venture we are drawing on more than four decades of experience across travel and hospitality to create something genuinely new.
"We're confident that more journeys between the UK and Europe will be made by train. We're adding capacity for millions more international rail journeys each year, growing the market as a whole. We're looking forward to seeing our distinctive red and black trains travelling across Europe."
Virgin also hopes to connect its rail and airline networks, potentially bringing passengers from France for Virgin Atlantic flights. It will also wrap the train service into its loyalty platform so that passengers can earn points towards other types of Virgin travel.
The Office of Rail and Road on Thursday published an agreement with Eurostar for Virgin to maintain its trains at the Temple Mills international depot near Stratford in east London, with track access in the UK confirmed until at least 2040.
Italy's state-owned Trenitalia is also expected to launch cross-Channel high-speed services. It already runs international trains as far as Paris and recently announced its own €2bn order for 19 new trains from Hitachi, some of which are expected to be based in France and run through the tunnel to London.