Eurostar passengers will soon be able to skip passport checks by having their faces scanned

Some passengers travelling from London to destinations via the Eurostar can now bypass manual passport checks thanks to a brand-new (and very swanky) facial verification system.

The system is being introduced to help tackle the chaotic, apparently Brexit-induced queues at the Eurostar terminal. Following the UK’s exit from the EU, new rules mean that passports have to be stamped. However, border police are unable to process them efficiently enough, particularly due to a huge reduction in staff numbers during the pandemic. 

If travellers wish to use this technology, they’ll have to download an app to scan their identity document and verify their face and ticket. Once at the station, passengers then walk in front of a screen that’ll scan their face. If approved, doors open automatically to let you continue on your way.

For now, the new technology will remain a bit of a luxury, as it’s currently only available to Business Premier and Carte Blanche customers. However, should the tech prove successful, Eurostar has said that it is keen to make the new technology available to more customers in the future.

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