Invest Gatwick Region partner Kent County Council (KCC) is calling on residents, businesses and potential passengers to help demonstrate demand for the return of international rail services to Ashford and Ebbsfleet.
Direct international rail services from Kent have not operated since 2020, when Eurostar withdrew its stops at Ashford International and Ebbsfleet International. KCC says restoring these connections remains a priority and is encouraging people to take part in a short passenger demand survey to help build the commercial case for future services.
The survey, created by local campaign group Bring Back Euro Trains, takes around three minutes to complete and asks potential passengers where they would travel from, where they would like to go and how often they would use an international rail service.
At the time of KCC’s August 2026 announcement, almost 14,000 people had already registered their interest, with the council encouraging more residents, businesses and visitors to take part.
For the Gatwick Region, improved international rail connectivity would be relevant to the wider network of businesses, communities and destinations spanning Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Croydon and Brighton & Hove, supporting access to European markets and destinations alongside the region’s existing air and domestic rail connections.
Linden Kemkaran, Leader of Kent County Council, said:
“Whether you travel for work, holidays, education, family visits or business, your voice matters. If you want to see international trains return to Kent, please complete the survey.”
Anyone who would use direct international rail services from Ashford or Ebbsfleet is encouraged to complete the passenger demand survey and help provide evidence of potential demand.
