International trains set to run from second major London station: When, where and how?

International rail services from London to France and other European countries are set to grow dramatically in coming years.

Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin is among operators seeking to take on Eurostar in offering cross-Channel routes to European capitals and other cities.

The international station concourse in Stratford

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Here are the key details:

When?

The building of Stratford International was completed by 2006 but it has never been used for services through the Channel Tunnel, not even during the 2012 London Olympics.

One in three trains to and from France could halt in future at Stratford International.

Departures board inside Stratford International Station

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Where?

International services stopping in east London would run to and from Paris, Brussels, Rotterdam and Amsterdam under the blueprint to open up the Stratford station.

Operators are also looking into other possible destinations in Germany and Switzerland.

Stratford International could in future decades be used as a hub for rail services from other parts of Britain to link up with the international network so millions more people could head to the Continent by train rather than fly.

Passport control at the international station in Stratford

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How?

It is understood that the international part of the station could be brought into use at a cost of around £20 million.

Part of the programme would involve putting in shops, cafes and other facilities.

Some of the original signs in French, installed many years ago, are still up.

The exact route for passengers through the station would have to be developed, from arrival, to ticket scanning, going through security with bag checks and into a waiting area.

Some signs at Stratford International are in both English and French

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Stratford is expected to be used as a stop, adding five to eight minutes to a European journey, rather than a new London terminal to rival St Pancras International.

The new international station would have capacity for 250-300 passengers at a time, compared to 2,500-3,000 per hour at St Pancras.

Ticket prices?

It could drive down the cost of some tickets, particularly for standard services.

But there could also be more luxurious travel on offer, at a higher price, as competition leads to more innovation.