<P> The Channel Tunnel Rail Link ( CTRL ) , now called High Speed 1 , runs 69 miles ( 111 km ) from St Pancras railway station in London to the tunnel portal at Folkestone in Kent . It cost £ 5.8 billion . On 16 September 2003 the prime minister , Tony Blair , opened the first section of High Speed 1 , from Folkestone to north Kent . On 6 November 2007 the Queen officially opened High Speed 1 and St Pancras International station , replacing the original slower link to Waterloo International railway station . High Speed 1 trains travel at up to 300 km / h ( 186 mph ) , the journey from London to Paris taking 2 hours 15 minutes , to Brussels 1 hour 51 minutes . </P>
<P> The Channel Tunnel Rail Link ( CTRL ) , now called High Speed 1 , runs 69 miles ( 111 km ) from St Pancras railway station in London to the tunnel portal at Folkestone in Kent . It cost £ 5.8 billion . On 16 September 2003 the prime minister , Tony Blair , opened the first section of High Speed 1 , from Folkestone to north Kent . On 6 November 2007 the Queen officially opened High Speed 1 and St Pancras International station , replacing the original slower link to Waterloo International railway station . High Speed 1 trains travel at up to 300 km / h ( 186 mph ) , the journey from London to Paris taking 2 hours 15 minutes , to Brussels 1 hour 51 minutes . </P>
when did the channel tunnel rail link open
when did the channel tunnel rail link open
16 September 2003
16 September 2003