High Speed 1: laying the tracks for transformation

High Speed 1 (HS1) is the first high-speed rail line and one of the best-performing, most reliable railways in the UK. Today, the vast majority of passengers take Eurostar trains, which run on HS1 to travel between London, Paris and Brussels. HS1 catalysed regeneration both in London and in communities along the route, and set new environmental standards for major infrastructure projects. 

HS1 offers a wealth of knowledge on the funding, organisation, delivery, maintenance and operation of new high-speed railways. As November 2022 marked the 15th anniversary of its full opening, this report explores the success story of HS1 and offers insights into how future projects can use the learnings from HS1 to do even better. This will be invaluable for shaping the industry in the critical decades ahead – and for fulfilling our overarching imperative to decarbonise all aspects of train travel.