Eurostar has set a new record for rail travel between Paris and London on its inaugural journey to its new UK terminal.

The train left Gare du Nord in Paris at 9:44am and arrived at St Pancras International two hours, three minutes and 39 seconds later on the 186mph high-speed line, reported by ITN News

The 306-mile journey beat Eurostar's previous best of two hours 35 minutes between Paris and London Waterloo, and at one point reached a speed of 200mph.

The new line between North Kent and London, together with station improvements has cost £5.8 billion. Eurostar will launch services from St Pancras International on November 14.

It is the first dedicated high-speed route in the UK and runs for 68 miles. It passes through Ashford International and Eurostar's new station at Ebbsfleet International in Kent, before crossing the River Thames and approaching the capital in tunnels under east London.

Eurostar trains will travel at speeds of up to 186 mph, 50 per cent faster than domestic rail services.

Richard Brown, chief executive of Eurostar, said: "Today marks Britain's entry into the European high-speed rail club. We can now run trains at high speed all the way from the Channel Tunnel to London, making journeys between cities quicker, more convenient - and far greener than flying.

"Eurostar will soon have two new stations, opening up European rail travel to millions more people across Britain.

"St Pancras International has numerous rail connections to towns and cities north and south of the capital, while Ebbsfleet International - just off junction 2 of the M25 and close to Bluewater shopping centre in Kent - is conveniently located for 10 million people across southern England."

The High Speed 1 timetable will for the first time enable UK business travellers to reach the centres of Paris and Brussels before 9am, while leisure passengers will benefit from later evening departures, allowing them longer for their trips.

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