Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Trains is plotting to launch direct trains from Manchester to Paris as it seeks to challenge Eurostar.
The operator is considering launching services from English regions to Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels if it succeeds in securing access to the Channel Tunnel.
It is understood to be viewing routes from Birmingham and Manchester to the Continent as a potential growth option should it win the right to compete with Eurostar later this month.
Virgin bosses are believed to regard such routes as more likely to garner Department for Transport approval after the group's plans to relaunch domestic services were rejected.
They would also draw on continuing public awareness of the Virgin Trains brand, whose operations in the UK between 1997 and 2019 were generally well received and included services to Birmingham and Manchester.
Sir Richard said in a submission to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) in July that Virgin would explore ways "to enhance onward connectivity to the wider UK rail network" were it to be chosen to compete with Eurostar.