International Rail Giants Eurostar and Thalys to Combine Operations in 2021
Heyy there! 👋
Ready for some juicy deets about the merger between Thalys and Eurostar? Here's the lowdown, unfiltered and uncensored!
In 2021, these international high-speed railway services announced a big ol' merge, they're calling it "Greenspeed." Think of it as two powerhouses joining forces to dominate the high-speed rail game in northern Europe.
The merger idea first popped up because both companies took a massive hit to their passenger numbers due to that pesky Covid-19 pandemic, which is still hanging around like a stubborn houseguest. By merging, they aim to make the high-speed train experience even sweeter for passengers in Europe.
Now, let's dive into the gist of their operations:
Eurostar is a beast that whizzes travelers between London and all the glamorous spots like Amsterdam, Brussels, Disneyland Paris, and more. It uses the legendary Channel Tunnel between the UK and France, operated separately by Getlink.
As for Thalys, it's a high-speed train operator that's all about the French-Belgianconnection, blazing through the LGV Nord high-speed line between Paris and Brussels. The tracks are shared with other Eurostar trains bound for London, Amsterdam, or Cologne, and even French domestic TGV trains.
The big plan now is for these two merge into one glorious rail network under the Eurostar name, covering UK, France, Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany. Say goodbye to Thalys, because starting from October 2023, all services that were previously under Thalys will run under Eurostar, with one single ticketing system!
This merger comes with a bunch of benefits, like:
- Meeting the growing demand for sustainable travel across Western Europe by expanding the network and making travel more seamless between key European capitals.
- Simplifying the customer experience by integrating everything under one brand, making traveling easier for passengers.
- Serving up to 30 million customers by 2030—that's a massive increase in capacity and market reach!
- Leveraging the strengths of both operators to enhance connections and customs management.
So there you have it! The "Greenspeed" merger is all about creating a terrific, unified high-speed rail service in Western Europe under the Eurostar name. Say bye to the Thalys brand and get ready for an even more efficient, customer-friendly train travel experience across multiple countries in the region! 💕
- As part of the Greenspeed merger, the European finance industry may see increased investment in public-transit transportation, as the combined Thalys and Eurostar services aim to provide customers a more seamless experience across Western Europe.
- The automotive industry might observe shifts in travel patterns as the expanded Eurostar rail network could potentially compete with private vehicular transportation in various regions.
- The Greenspeed merger, set to take place in 2023, will also influence the industrial landscape by bringing together two leading high-speed rail service providers, forecasting a stronger position in the transportation industry for Eurostar.
