"Preparing for Saudi-Level Heat"... Eurostar to Introduce Trains That Withstand 55°C

Eurostar Orders New Trains to Withstand 55-Degree Heat
1 in 10 Trains Face Malfunctions or Delays; Tracks Warping
Heatwave Disrupts Tracks, Roads, and Power Infrastructure

As Europe continues to suffer from increasingly severe heatwaves each year, multinational high-speed rail operator Eurostar has decided to introduce new trains that can withstand temperatures of up to 55 degrees Celsius.

In mid-last month, amid unusual heat in Munich, Germany, a citizen is heading toward the train platform. Photo by AP Yonhap News

According to Yonhap News, citing Dutch outlet NL Times and others on July 11 (local time), Eurostar has recently asked the manufacturer to raise the heat resistance standard for up to 50 new trains it has ordered, from the original 45 degrees to 55 degrees—equivalent to Saudi Arabia’s standards. The contract signed last year included a clause allowing the heat-resistance specifications to be changed before the final order was confirmed.

Eurostar is a company that connects the UK and mainland Western Europe—including France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany—via the Channel Tunnel. Last year, Eurostar placed an order for new trains with French rolling stock manufacturer Alstom for about 2 billion euros (approximately KRW 3.4 trillion). The specification change will mainly affect materials used for air conditioning systems. Eurostar emphasized, “Since the new trains are scheduled to start operating in 2031 and will be running for more than 30 years until the 2060s, it is essential to prepare for the future.”

The impact of heatwaves on train operations has already become a reality. Gwenola Chambon, CEO of Eurostar, stated that amid the current heatwave, one in ten Eurostar trains has experienced breakdowns or delays. She said, “We are preparing for heat levels typically seen only in Saudi Arabia,” and added, “This year, the heatwave has arrived earlier, lasted longer, and been hotter than ever before.”

The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, covered by a heatwave. Photo by AP Yonhap News

Previously, when temperatures soared to 40 degrees in parts of Western Europe last month, several trains were halted mid-journey or had services canceled due to air conditioning failures. In Belgium, passengers were trapped for over two hours inside a train that was stranded without air conditioning.

Heatwaves are also damaging infrastructure such as tracks and roads. CEO Chambon highlighted rail track warping due to heat as a particularly challenging issue. Steel rails absorb sunlight and can become around 20 degrees hotter than the surrounding air, making them prone to expansion and distortion. In Germany, for example, track expansion led to the mass cancellation of long-distance and regional services, followed by urgent repairs. Several countries have also lowered train speeds to reduce the load on expanded tracks.

Not only tracks but also roads and power facilities are succumbing to the heat. According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the recent heatwave in Western Europe has caused signal boxes and power cables to overheat and melt in Belgium, France, and the UK, while in Germany, Sweden, and the UK, road asphalt has softened and cracked, resulting in widespread damage.

Western Europe has entered its third heatwave, with temperatures approaching 40 degrees in some areas last week, following the first and second waves in late May and late last month, respectively. According to Copernicus, the EU’s climate change monitoring agency, Europe has been warming at twice the global average rate since the 1980s, making it the fastest-warming continent on Earth.

The loss of life from this heatwave is also growing. Compiling data from various national agencies, it is estimated that excess deaths due to the heatwave have exceeded 10,000 across Europe since the end of last month.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.