EUROSTAR set a second new speed record on Thursday when its inaugural service between Brussels and its new terminal at St Pancras reached London in well under two hours, slicing half an hour off the normal journey time.

The train, carrying 700 people including a large contingent of journalists, took just one hour and 43 minutes to cover the 232-mile distance and reached a top speed of 186 miles per hour as it sped along the new link through Kent and London.

It was the first time Eurostar had run a train from Brussels along the full length of the new 68-mile high-speed link between the Channel Tunnel and London.

The service is due to open to the public on November 14, passing through the new Ebbsfleet International Station.

The new record delighted Eurostar bosses, who believe shorter journey times will prove a vital selling point as it positions itself as a major rival to low-cost airlines.

Chief executive Richard Brown hailed the journey as historic.

He said: “Today’s journey puts London and Brussels firmly within the ‘two-hour club. Eurostar is quite simply the fastest, most convenient way to travel, avoiding wasted time and money in getting to out-of-town airports, lengthy check-in times, and baggage reclaim delays.

“The connections between domestic rail services and St Pancras International mean that travellers from across Britain will be able to reach Brussels, and cities throughout Belgium and France, in journey times that are competitive with flying, using trains that are more productive for business travellers, more relaxing for leisure travellers, and greener for all.”

Earlier this month, Eurostar broke another record when a special service completed the journey from Paris to London in two hours.