the new station opened in 2007, and handles 50 million passengers a year. It provides access to the northern European cities of Paris, Brussels and Lille. From there you can travel to Spain, the French Alps, the south of France, and Germany. Eurostar flashes along the railway line, known as High Speed 1(HS1), at 300 km per hour(186 mph), just as the TGV has done in France for many years The whole area around St Pancras and King's Cross has had a major regeneration It is now a thriving, inner-city district, home to multinational businesses, art galleries, bars, and restaurants.