Eurostar, the high-speed international rail service connecting the United Kingdom (UK) with mainland Europe, will now be utilizing SmartCheck as a contactless fast-track facial biometric check-in system. With SmartCheck, passengers can go through only one passport check instead of two at the London St Pancras Station.
This technology was an outcome of a trial completed by iProov and was funded by the UK Department for Transport (DfT). The initiative supported research, development and innovation for the UK rail industry under the ‘First of a Kind 2020’ competition run by Innovate UK.
SmartCheck will help Eurostar’s Business Premier and Carte Blanche passengers save time and avoid queues for ticket and UK border exit checks in the station by securely enrolling their ticket, passport and face before they travel, using their mobile devices whenever convenient.
Customers download the SmartCheck iProov.me app from the Apple App Store or Google Play to their smartphone. The passenger then uses the app to scan their identity documentation and verify their face alongside their tickets using their mobile device before their travel.
The setting will replace the existing processes of check-ins at gates and automates the current manual UK exit check. Just baggage inspection and one passport check through French border control remain.
“Providing a seamless station experience to our customers is a priority for Eurostar." said Eurostar Group CEO Gwendoline Cazenave. "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.”
The roll-out, which went into effect July 18, 2023, follows a successful trial of the new system that occurred between December 2021 and April 2022 during which iProov worked with its partner, Entrust, to create the pilot to meet Eurostar’s needs. The SmartCheck solution incorporates iProov’s Biometric Solution Suite with Biometric checkpoint, together with Entrust’s Identity Verification as a Service technology for identity orchestration and digital travel credential management.
“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 organizations and passengers at scale. 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," said Andrew Bud, founder and CEO of iProov.
