Eurostar introduce facial verification system in bid to cut queues at UK station

The SmartCheck system, developed by iProov, will first be introduced to Business Premier and Carte Blanche passengers. Users will need to use an app before travel to scan their identity document and verify their face and ticket. Then at the station, they walk in front of a screen and have their face against the information they provided, and If approved, doors open automatically.

Chief Executive of iProov Andrew Bud, said: "By creating a biometric corridor, we are moving security checks away from the station, saving precious time and space at the border, streamlining the boarding process to one that's far faster, more convenient, less crowded and stressful, yet even more secure."

Facial verification systems work by analysing and identifying unique facial features of individuals to verify their identity. It begins with the capture of an individual's facial then extracts key facial landmarks, such as the distance between the eyes, the shape of the nose, and the position of the mouth. These landmarks are converted into a mathematical representation known as a "faceprint." The faceprint is compared against a database of pre-registered faceprints to find a match. If a matching faceprint is found, the system confirms the individual's identity.

Facial verification systems are already used in things like e-gates in airports, but this represents the first time they've been rolled out in UK rail travel. Eurostar said it hopes to extend the new technology to more customers, across the Eurostar network in mainland Europe, if it proves successful. Bags will still being scanned by security staff, and border officials in London and Paris are continuing to check passports as before for those not applicable to use the system.

Eurostar Chief Executive Cazenave said of the new system: "We continue looking for solutions to increase capacity in stations and simplify the passengers' flows."

Currently, enhanced post-Brexit checks by French border staff have increased the time it takes to process passengers at the station, the company said. This has resulted in reports earlier this year that Eurostar was being forced to leave hundreds of seats empty on trains to and from London to avoid long queues at stations. The situation has since improved but dozens of seats are not being offered for sale on some services.

Eurostar is not the only company seeking to use technology to reduce queues through transport terminals. Heathrow Airport began trialling facial biometric scanners in 2019 and Amsterdam's Schiphol airport has replaced their x-ray machines with CT scanners at security, which enables passengers to take liquid in their cabin bag without having to remove it.