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. ? ?