The newspapers proudly announced today that Heathrow's new Terminal 5 opens for business in exactly one year. I've noticed that pseudo-public service updates like these are a popular news tradition in the UK. In November papers were heralding the final year countdown for the start of services on the Channel Tunnel high-speed rail link into Kings Cross/St Pancras. When you consider the reputed British passion for queuing such announcements almost make sense. Why not promote a lengthy wait and satisfy the nation's passion.
Those who know me well are familiar with my love for public works, especially large infrastructure projects. Sad as it may seem, I'm quite excited by the thought of being in London when the new High Speed rail link opens for business, or completion of Heathrow Terminal 5.
The new rail link will dramatically reduce travel time to Paris on Eurostar. Once the new terminal opens at Kings Cross, the journey will take no more than 2 hours, 15 minutes. Our house is less than ten minutes by tube from the new terminus, effectively putting Paris within three hours of our doorstep (including time for passport control and check-in). Earlier this month a Eurostar train ran into St Pancras for the first time. Regular services will start on November 14.
Having the Eurostar on our doorstep will make an incredible difference. It currently takes me about 1:45 hours to get home from the moment my plane lands at Heathrow. This means that door-to-door the train is the fastest form of transport for many European destinations including Brussels, Paris and much of France. Later this year a new high-speed rail link will open between Brussels and Amsterdam making it possible to reach the Netherlands in only 3.5 hours. A similar link in early-2008 will put Cologne in the same travel time range.
Terminal 5 is a massive undertaking. From March 30 next year this single building will process 30 million passengers a year, or about 40% of all people currently passing through Heathrow. I can't wait. The current facilities at Heathrow are among the worst in Europe. Air travel in this pass of the world is a definite step down from the new and spacious facilities I once used in Asia.
Plans are now in the making for the construction of a second terminal at Heathrow that will replace three other aging buildings. This second structure will support more than 30 million passengers annually when it opens shortly before the Olympic Games in 2012.
Those who know me well are familiar with my love for public works, especially large infrastructure projects. Sad as it may seem, I'm quite excited by the thought of being in London when the new High Speed rail link opens for business, or completion of Heathrow Terminal 5.
The new rail link will dramatically reduce travel time to Paris on Eurostar. Once the new terminal opens at Kings Cross, the journey will take no more than 2 hours, 15 minutes. Our house is less than ten minutes by tube from the new terminus, effectively putting Paris within three hours of our doorstep (including time for passport control and check-in). Earlier this month a Eurostar train ran into St Pancras for the first time. Regular services will start on November 14.
Having the Eurostar on our doorstep will make an incredible difference. It currently takes me about 1:45 hours to get home from the moment my plane lands at Heathrow. This means that door-to-door the train is the fastest form of transport for many European destinations including Brussels, Paris and much of France. Later this year a new high-speed rail link will open between Brussels and Amsterdam making it possible to reach the Netherlands in only 3.5 hours. A similar link in early-2008 will put Cologne in the same travel time range.
Terminal 5 is a massive undertaking. From March 30 next year this single building will process 30 million passengers a year, or about 40% of all people currently passing through Heathrow. I can't wait. The current facilities at Heathrow are among the worst in Europe. Air travel in this pass of the world is a definite step down from the new and spacious facilities I once used in Asia.
Plans are now in the making for the construction of a second terminal at Heathrow that will replace three other aging buildings. This second structure will support more than 30 million passengers annually when it opens shortly before the Olympic Games in 2012.
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