Elation over Eurostar speed record

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The 18-coach train left Gare du Nord at 9.44am UK time and arrived at the newly refurbished St Pancras station in central London two hours three minutes and 39 seconds later.

The train was the first to travel on the new £5.8 billion dedicated high-speed route which runs for 68 miles from the Channel Tunnel near Folkestone in Kent to central London.

Eurostar chief executive Richard Brown said the train's arrival in London was a great achievement for his company and a massive step forward for rail travel.

The train travelled at speeds of more than 200mph in France and on the British section.

The journey was more than 30 minutes faster than the current two hours 35 minutes time between Paris and London's Waterloo International which will close in November when services switch to St Pancras.

Some 400 specially invited guests were on board the train, around half the maximum number of passengers, and they were served champagne and croissants in Paris before leaving the French capital.

A French jazz band played on the platform as the train left and another band was playing in London when the train arrived.

French driver Francis Queret drove the train through France while UK driver Neil Meare took over in England.

Eurostar was given special permission to travel at speeds of more than 200mph during the journey, although there were temporary speed restrictions in Calais which slightly delayed the trip.