Eurostar Group has rolled out a contactless, biometric check-in system at London St Pancras station.
The SmartCheck system, supplied by iProov, enables Eurostar’s Business Premier and Carte Blanche passengers to avoid queues for ticket and UK exit checks when connecting between the UK and mainland Europe.
To use this fast-track, ticketless service, passengers have to securely enrol their ticket, passport and face on their mobile device before they travel.
At the station, they are then able to expedite pre-boarding processes by proceeding through a dedicated SmartCheck corridor with a walk-past facial biometric checkpoint.
This rollout makes Eurostar the first rail operator to adopt biometric boarding technology. Meanwhile, biometric face verification is also being trailed at London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to improve the boarding processes for international travellers at the airport.
“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. SmartCheck in St Pancras International station is a solution for a faster and seamless check-in experience. 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.”
This roll-out follows Eurostar’s successful trial of the new biometric check-in system between December 2021 and April 2022.
