More doors to France will open from Ashford with a new Eurostar timetable.

A train direct to Lille will leave earlier in the morning giving people more than three extra hours for a day return trip.

The change in the timetable, from December 13, also provides more time to travel deeper into France that same day.

A Eurostar spokesman said: “This is about flexibility, giving people more opportunity to have business meetings or go on shopping trips in the Nord-Pas de Calais region and return the same day.

“It also gives customers more time to travel earlier into the middle and south of France.”

At present the only direct train for Lille from Ashford International Station leaves at 10.28* and arrives in the French city at 12.28.

Changes from December 13 include the provision of a 0657 from Ashford International Station arriving at Lille at 0907 and stopping at Brussels 0942.

That return train will leave Lille at 1735 and comes to Ashford at 1733.

This provides more than eight hours for a day in Lille and its surrounding area against the five-plus hours with the present timetable.

The new timetable continues until July 3 and can be viewed in full on the Eurostar website www.eurostar.com from this week.

*All times quoted are local to their country.