Eurostar reported a 7% increase in revenue to £197m for the third quarter of the year compared with the same period of 2010, pushing its total revenues for the year to date to £617m, up 5% on last year.
Passengers numbers from January to September were up 1% to 7.3m. Excluding the impact of the ash cloud disruption in 2010, numbers were up 3%.
Chief executive Nicolas Petrovic said: “We have delivered a solid performance during both the third quarter and the year as a whole, although the tough trading environment across Europe demands a cautious watching brief."
Business Premier sales grew 2% in the third quarter but Eurostar said it "remains cautious" about the outlook. Leisure travellers were up just 2% but international passengers numbers rose 21% during the first nine months of the year.
"Despite the global economic backdrop, London and Europe continues to be a big draw for international travellers," said the train operator. "With London 2012 now less than a year away, Eurostar anticipates in increased interest in the UK as a destination as the world’s focus turns to the Games next year.
Eurostar recently launched a free mobile app to make it easier for customers to book tickets on the move and it will also introduce onboard WiFi and a state-of-the-art infotainment system as part of a £700million investment programme.
By Linsey McNeill
