The first shots of the brand-spanking new kiosks acting as border checks are in. From next month, UK train passengers at London St Pancras will face “no queues” when heading to mainland Europe.
Photos shared by PA News Agency show Chief Safety and Stations Officer Simon Lejeune proudly showing the state-of-the-art machines to the press. They will operate similar to the machines you get at passport control in airports, but will have a few distinct differences, costing 10 million euros (£8.5million).
Service users will have to register their passport, facial image, fingerprints, and answer four questions about their trip. This is a requirement under the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), which is thought to kick-in from October 6.
Although it’s worth noting that passengers should still arrive 90 minutes in advance. Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer said: “We are very supportive of the EU adopting a phased introduction of the new scheme. Launching a new digital border system in 29 countries is no mean feat, and doing it over a six-month period should allow the system to bed in whilst minimising impact on travellers.
“It also takes the pressure off peak travel periods, such as October half term and Christmas. There isn’t anything passengers need to do in advance for EES, as it is all done on arrival at the border.”
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