Rail operator Eurostar is using a switch and firewall infrastructure to speed up its ticketing and boarding systems.

The channel tunnel service will support existing sites and integrated new locations including its new terminals at St Pancras International in London, Kent’s Ebbsfleet International and the operator’s new UK maintenance depot in East London.

The Cisco-based platform creates a common interface to the managed wide area network (WAN), with routing switches set up at each site.

“The new system had to support the entire Eurostar service – from its public operations to its back-office functions. The challenges imposed by such a large project meant it was imperative that we used a reliable and robust supplier able to react quickly to changing demands,” said Graham Woodhouse, IS data comms manager at Eurostar.

A large-scale ticketing scheme to allow customers to print travel documents at home or use barcode-enabled mobile tickets to speed up boarding on its international trains will go live this summer.

The rail operator is also integrating its booking system with those of operators on the domestic UK network, so national and international trips no longer need to be ordered separately.