Eurostar has introduced biometric
technology at London St Pancras station that will reduce the number of passport
checks required and expedite departure processes.
The cross-channel train operator has partnered with iProov
to launch SmartCheck, a biometric facial recognition check-in system, that
enables Business Premier and Carte Blanche holders to “save time and avoid
queues for ticket and UK border exit checks” when departing from London.
Eligible passengers can download the SmartCheck iProov.me
app before travelling and enter their ticket and passport details, plus facial
scans, resulting in a “contactless, ticketless and secure travel experience”.
At St Pancras, users can proceed through a dedicated
SmartCheck corridor featuring a walk-past facial recognition biometric
checkpoint.
“This
fast, contactless route replaces the existing processes of check-in at gates
and the manual UK border exit check. Just baggage inspection and one passport
check through French border control remain,” said Eurostar in a statement.
The
full roll-out follows a successful trial that took place in the first quarter
if 2022 as part of the ‘First of a Kind 2020’ competition run by Innovate UK
and funded by the Department for Transport.
“Providing
a seamless station experience to our customers is a priority for Eurostar. We
continue looking for solutions to increase capacity in stations and simplify
the passengers’ flows,” said Gwendoline Cazenave, Eurostar Group CEO.
“By introducing
SmartCheck, we become the first rail travel operator to adopt biometric face
verification. This innovation will enhance our customer departure journey,
which is crucial to provide Eurostar’s unique travel experience.”
Andrew Bud, founder and CEO of iProov, added: “The rollout of SmartCheck
in Eurostar’s Business Premier check-in at London St Pancras is significant
because it clearly demonstrates how facial biometric technology can be used to
manage border control in a smarter and more efficient way, to benefit both
organisations and passengers at scale.”
Eurostar was in the news in June it was revealed it may have to suspend
services between London and Amsterdam in 2024 due to construction work at
Amsterdam’s Centraal station.