It’s incredible to think that it’s already been 22 years since the first Eurostar train connected London with Paris and Brussels: a sleek, hassle-free high-speed train that united these world capitals better than an airplane or ferry. Those decades haven’t gone by without innovation; Eurostar has upgraded its stations (London's St. Pancras International looks good after that £800 million renovation completed in 2007), and added new amenities, like power ports at every seat. Now, for the first time since its start, Eurostar has introduced an entirely new train, one that’s faster and larger and, as it seems, not without controversy.

Built by Siemens Germany and designed by Pininfarina—the Italian firm most famous for its partnerships with Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, and Maserati—the new “e320” series train was only launched at the end of 2015, and is now running the rails. Rail Europe, which can pair the Eurostar routes with other train tickets throughout Europe, lists fares from only $70 one-way in “Standard Premier,” which is Eurostar parlance for economy class. Those tickets can reach as high as $400 one-way for “Business Premier,” the premium cabin with more privacy, a complimentary onboard meal by Michelin-starred Chef Raymond Blanc, use of rail station lounges, and the unique promise that checking in only 10 minutes before departure will still get you onboard.

Alfredo Palma, a chief designer on the Eurostar project at Pininfarina, tells Condé Nast Traveler that the goal was to create something "iconic": "The keywords of [Pininfarina's] DNA are elegance, purity, and innovation. With this kind of approach we can be sure the object becomes iconic. We designed something pure and clean, but which will not become outdated in a short period of time."

So what do the newest Eurostar trains offer?

More speed

The Eurostar’s series “e320” is a nod to its new top speed of 320 kph (200 mph), which beats the old speed of 300 kph by enough to trim the average Eurostar journey by 15 minutes.

The trip between Brussels and London is down to under two hours, between Paris and London is just over two hours, and the newest route—a country-crossing journey from London straight down to the Mediterranean port of Marseille—totals six hours. Up next will be a route linking London and Amsterdam, without the need to change trains, launching later this year.

More seats than a jumbo jet

"We're finding that on the weekends—Friday, Saturday, Sunday—we're full to capacity, so to continue to upgrade service we need more seats," says Eurostar's senior press officer Rob Haycocks. Eurostar recorded a record ridership of 10.4 million passengers in 2014, its 20th anniversary year, and the numbers continue to rise. To plan for the future, the newest train has 20 percent more seats: up from 750 on the older e300 trains to 900 on the fresh-off-the-line e320. Those numbers mean one Eurostar train, in one trip, is capable of transporting more passengers than two Boeing 747s.

For all their flash, the new trains haven’t enjoyed a smooth introduction. Criticisms levied by fashion editors who frequent the Channel Tunnel route between London and Paris caught the ear of popular design news site Dezeen, saying “the seats are too wide so you slide around” and “the lighting’s a disaster.” At least the bar car hasn't been sacrificed in the name of more seats. In fact, it's been improved (and yes, it stocks tiny bottles of champagne).

More connectivity

"The expectation of having Wi-Fi is now a given," says Haycocks, "so we put that in on the new trains, but it also comes with a whole suite of onboard entertainment, which is also free." Connecting to the Eurostar network, as we recently did on a trip from London St. Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord, was as easy as promised, and we spent the first half of our trip successfully streaming a documentary show that is one of hundreds of options in the Eurostar's virtual entertainment library.

Other notable tech improvements include USB ports and power outlets at every seat, personal reading lights, and overhead screens offering more comprehensive destination and journey information.

The interiors may not meet the standards of European fashion editors but, for the general traveling public and even those familiar with American Amtrak Acela or Japanese Shinkansen trains, the Eurostar is a reliably comfortable way to cross the continent.

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