what is hs1 train

High Speed 1 (HS1) is a 109-kilometer (68-mile) high-speed railway that connects London with the Channel Tunnel. It is also known as the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) . The railway cost £5.8 billion to build and opened on November 14, 2007. Trains run at speeds of up to 300 km/h (190 mph) on HS1, and intermediate stations are at Stratford International in London, Ebbsfleet International in northern Kent, and Ashford International in southern Kent. HS1 Ltd. is the network manager for the line, stations, and other infrastructure, while Network Rail (High Speed) Ltd. is responsible for the infrastructure itself. HS1 Ltd. owns and operates four stations along the route: St Pancras International, Stratford International, Ebbsfleet International, and Ashford International. The railway connects the international high-speed routes between London and Paris, London and Brussels, and London and Amsterdam, as well as the domestic route from London to Kent. HS1 is operated and maintained by HS1, and it is the UKs only high-speed railway.