Thalys


Thalys is a French-Belgian high-speed train operator originally built around the LGV Nord high-speed line between Paris and Brussels. This track is shared with Eurostar trains that go from Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam to London via Lille and the Channel Tunnel and with French domestic TGV trains. Thalys also serves Amsterdam and Cologne. Its system is managed by Thalys International — 70% SNCF, 30% NMBS/SNCB — and operated by THI Factory — 60% SNCF, 40% NMBS/SNCB.

History

Before Thalys, there was an express rail service between Paris and Brussels since 1924 on the train service l'Étoile du Nord. In the 1970s it connected the two cities in around 2 hours 30 minutes.
The decision to build a high-speed railway between Paris, Brussels, Cologne, and Amsterdam was made in 1987. On 28 January 1993, SNCF, SNCB/NMBS, Nederlandse Spoorwegen and Deutsche Bundesbahn signed an agreement to operate the axis jointly through the brand Thalys, and in 1995 Westrail International was created by the French and Belgian national railways to operate the services. On 4 June 1996, the first train left Paris using the LGV Nord until it reached Belgium, taking 2:07 hours to Brussels and 4:47 hours to Amsterdam.
In 1997, the Belgian HSL 1 line, allowing and running from the French border to the outskirts of Brussels, was completed for service. On 14 December 1997, the first Thalys train from Paris to Brussels ran on the HSL 1, reducing travel time to 1:25 hours. At the same time service commenced to Cologne and Aachen in Germany, and Bruges, Charleroi, Ghent, Mons, Namur and Ostend in Belgium. On 19 December 1998 the Thalys Neige service started to the ski resorts of Tarentaise Valley and Bourg-Saint-Maurice. In May 1999, the new high-speed line serving Charles de Gaulle Airport opened, and Thalys started direct services from the parisian airport to Brussels, including codeshare agreements with Air France, American Airlines and Northwest Airlines. On 28 November 1999, the company changed its name to Thalys International.
In 2000, Thalys started a daily Service between Brussels and Geneva. With its Thalys Soleil , it started offering direct connections to the Provence, initially to Valence, and extended to Avignon and Marseille in 2002. Service between Brussels and Cologne was improved in December 2002 when trains began running on the new HSL 2 in Belgium. In 2003, services started to Brussels Airport and the Thalys Nuits d'Été service to Marne-la-Vallée. In 2007 Deutsche Bahn purchased a 10% shareholding with SNCF reducing its stake to 62% and SNCB 28%.
Beginning 14 June 2009 the journey between Brussels and Cologne was shortened by 19 minutes when the new high-speed line HSL 3 between Liège and Aachen opened using Deutsche Bahn's thrice-daily ICE trains running between Brussels and Frankfurt. HSL 3 was completed in 2007, but Thalys trains had not yet been equipped with the European Train Control System signaling equipment necessary to use the new line. After installation and testing, Thalys began operating on HSL 3 on 13 December 2009. For the same reasons, Thalys started operating on the HSL 4/HSL-Zuid high-speed line between Antwerp and Amsterdam 13 December 2009, two years after the line's construction.
Since 29 August 2011, one return journey to Cologne has been extended to Essen Hauptbahnhof, and since 30 October 2011, one return journey to Brussels had been extended to Brussels National Airport.
In June 2013, Deutsche Bahn stopped selling Thalys tickets, and began a plan to exit from Thalys capital.
Thalys has served Düsseldorf Airport station since the winter 2013 schedule went into effect.
On 12 April 2014, Thalys started a regular service between Lille Europe and Amsterdam Centraal.
At the end of March 2015, Thalys dropped the Paris – Oostende and the Paris – Brussels – Mons – Charleroi – Namur – Liège routes, due to the lack of funding from the Belgian government.
On 30 March 2015, Thalys became a train company, and operates since under its own train operator certificate.
Starting from 13 December 2015, service in Germany is extended to Dortmund.
In March 2018, Thalys ceased all its operations from Lille-Europe, citing disappointing demand and financial results.
In September 2019, Thalys announced its intention to merge with Eurostar, subject to gaining European Commission clearance, to form Green Speed. SNCF and SNCB already hold a controlling shareholding in Eurostar.

Routes

Beyond Brussels, the main cities Thalys trains reach are Antwerp, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Liège, Aachen and Cologne. Trains to these destinations run partly on dedicated high-speed tracks, and partly on conventional tracks shared with normal-speed trains. The high-speed lines used by Thalys are HSL 1 between Paris and Brussels, HSL 4/HSL-Zuid between Antwerp and Amsterdam, and the HSL 2 and HSL 3 between Brussels and Aachen. For its seasonal operations within France, other high-speed lines are used.
Journeys from Brussels to Paris are normally 1 hour and 22 minutes, for a distance of approximately. Peak speed is on a dedicated high-speed railway track, which is electrified at 25 kV AC OHLE.
The ligne à grande vitesse link with Charles de Gaulle Airport allowed Air France to withdraw its air service between Paris and Brussels; instead, Air France books seats on Thalys trains. Thalys has been given the IATA designator 2H. This is used in conjunction with American Airlines and Delta Air Lines. American Airlines has a code-sharing agreement with Thalys for rail service from Charles de Gaulle airport to Brussels-South. The airline alliance SkyTeam also has a code-sharing agreement with Thalys for rail service connecting its hub Amsterdam Schiphol Airport with Antwerp-Centraal and Bruxelles Midi/Brussel Zuid.
Paris NordBruxelles MidiLiegeAachen HbfKöln Hbf / CologneDüsseldorf HbfDuisburg HbfDortmund HbfAmsterdam CentraalSchiphol AirportRotterdam CentraalAntwerpen CentraalLille Europe
Paris NordX1h22min2h10min2h353h14min3h39min3h53min4h41min3h17min2h59min2h37min2h01minN/A
Bruxelles Midi1h22minXN/A1h08min1h47min2h12min2h25min3h08min1h50min1h32min1h10minN/A35min
Liege2h10minN/Ax22min1h01min1h26min1h39min2h22minxxxxx
Aachen Hbf2h35min1h08min22minx36min1h08min1h19minN/Axxxxx
Köln Hbf / Cologne3h14min1h47min1h01min36minx24min43minN/Axxxxx
Düsseldorf Hbf3h39min2h12min1h26min1h08min41minx14minN/Axxxxx
Duisburg Hbf3h53min2h25min1h39min1h19min43min14minxN/Axxxxx
Dortmund Hbf4h41min3h08min2h22minN/AN/AN/AN/AN/Axxxxx
Amsterdam Centraal3h17min1h50minxxxxxxxN/AN/A1h12min2h35min
Schiphol Airport2h59min1h32minxxxxxxN/AxN/A54min2h25min
Rotterdam Centraal2h37min1h10minxxxxxxN/AN/Ax32min1h54min
Antwerpen Centraal2h01minN/Axxxxxx1h12min54min32minx1h19min
Lille EuropeN/A35minxxxxxx2h35min2h25min1h54min1h19minx

Market

Thalys targets a passenger market in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany.
The percentage of income coming from different routes demonstrates on which routes the company is most used:
52% of customers are from the leisure market; 48% from the business market.
A large segment of Thalys's total sales and income comes from the connection between Paris and Brussels.
Unlike many national train companies, Thalys does not allow children below 12 years old to travel alone.
Since 24 August 2010, there has been a supplement of €7 to Thalys tickets bought at SNCB/NMBS ticket offices at train stations. This is due to a reduction of a sales fee paid by Thalys and Eurostar to the Belgian rail company. The sales prices have evolved, and in June 2019 that "booking fee" is €9.

All figures in millions. Revenue in millions of euros.

Accessibility

Thalys trains are wheelchair-accessible, with the assistance of the train staff. Bicycles are not allowed on Thalys unless disassembled or packed in a special wrap. Folding bikes are allowed.
Due to the departure of Deutsche Bahn, the distribution of Thalys tickets was discontinued by the railway on June 9, 2013. Tickets are still available on the train, by phone at Thalys itself for the same periods as the Internet sales, the French, the Dutch and the Belgian State Railways, some travel agencies and on the Internet up to three months in advance.
At Cologne Central Station there has been a Thalys Store & More since October 22, 2012. It acts as a normal travel agency with the above restrictions and makes a surcharge even for own trains.
Further outlets of Thalys Store & More exist in the main station Aachen as well as beside the main station Düsseldorf.

Thalys Lounge

Thalys operates a number of station lounges in Brussels, Cologne, Aachen, and Paris. Opened on 9 July 2015, the newest lounge in Paris' Gare du Nord, located on
, offers travelers with a valid My Thalys World membership a variety of services, including free WiFi or a luggage storage service. For business travelers, a fully equipped meeting room is available for up to six people.

Rolling stock

Thalys uses two models of trains, both of which are part of the TGV family of high-speed trains built by Alstom in France.

Accidents and incidents