Thalys

The Thalys ( in the parlance [ ta ː lɪs ] ) is a European high-speed train, which is based on the technique of the French TGV.

The term Thalys is no shortcut, but a made-up word, specifically a Logatom, that's equally easy to pronounce in all language areas, in the trains.

Society

The Thalys is operated by the international rail company Thalys International in Brussels, which is a subsidiary of the French (SNCF) and Belgian ( NMBS / SNCB) State Railways. Partner is the subsidiary of Dutch Railways, Thalys Nederland.

Should connect after the 1987 decision to bring a cross-border high-speed train on the track, the Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and Cologne, the West Rail International was founded in 1995, which adopted the name of the trains in May 1999 and have since Thalys International is called. It is a cooperative company with limited liability incorporated under Belgian law (société coopérative à responsabilité limitée ). By 2007, the NMBS / SNCB holding 30%, the SNCF 70 % of the shares. As at 16 June 2007, the German railway involved with ten percent of the share capital of the Company. The remaining shares are held by SNCF with 62 and the NMBS / SNCB, with 28 percent.

According to media reports in October 2010, the German railway wanted to terminate their participation in Thalys during the year 2011. The end of the contribution to the end of March beginning of 2012 has been announced. According to a press report, the German railway was no longer involved since December, 2011 at the company. The SNCF and NMBS / SNCB in mid January 2012 the acquisition of the shares of DB notified to the Bundeskartellamt. Since 28 March 2012, no longer apply in the DB ticket Thalys between Aachen and Cologne, with the exception of rail card 100 and ICE line time cards. Since 2011, the DB is no longer involved in the company's profits, the share SNCF and NMBS / SNCB.

High-speed trains

The Thalys was built for the transnational traffic in the Benelux region and is therefore more compatible with other systems. There are two variants of the Thalys trains, Thalys PBA (Paris- Brussels -Amsterdam ) and the Thalys PBKA (Paris- Brussels-Cologne- Amsterdam).

Of the Thalys PBA exist ten units that are identical to the French TGV Réseau. Continue with 25 kV, 50 Hz AC. They are also equipped with train control systems of the three countries. The Thalys PBA has a 25 kV, 50 Hz AC continuous power of 8800 kW and taking it between Paris and Brussels, as well as between lions and Liege 300 km / h

The 17 existing Thalys PBKA are also able to drive 16.7 Hz alternating current and a power of 4460 kW in the German network with 15kV. The design of their power heads modeled on the TGV Duplex. They operate since December 14, 1997 in Cologne. Until 2006 was Cologne -Deutz as target and the departure station. At times, drove a pair of trains from / to Dusseldorf; In August 2011, Thalys took this offer back on (leaving stations Essen, Duisburg and Dusseldorf ).

Of the 17 units are located seven owned by NMBS / SNCB, six belong to the SNCF, the two NS and Deutsche Bahn. The two PBKA units No. 4321 and 4322 are owned by Deutsche Bahn and there are internal, like all Thalys PBKA trainsets, the "Series 409 " called. They are part of the fleet of the Belgian State Railways.

Transport supply

The trains connect across countries following cities:

• (Essen - Duisburg - Dusseldorf - ) Cologne - Aachen - Liege - Brussels - Paris ( Nord) (5 pairs of trains, travel time of 3.14 hours Cologne, another pair of trains from Liege, three times a day to / from food, a pair of trains service has been in the completion of the Diabolo project between Brussels Airport and Paris Nord) to 2009 on the East Belgian Wesertalstrecke (journey time 3:50 ), since 13 December 2009 on the HSL 3

• Since 13 December 2009 on the HSL Zuid with a journey time of 3:18 hours; The Hague has since no longer served.

Between Paris and Brussels trains run almost every half hour, some in double traction, which is winged in Brussels to Amsterdam and Cologne. In Brussels, there are connections to the Euro Star to London.

Since April 2007, the trains should use the new high speed line HSL Zuid ( high-speed line Antwerp - Schiphol ), whose commissioning has been delayed until December 2009; also lacked the Thalys PBA but also enough for the HSL Zuid ETCS; Tests with the ETCS software version 2.3.0 found in early November 2007 in Belgium and the Netherlands. For the same reason, the HSL is 3 ply between Aachen and Liege only from December 13, 2009.

With 25 trains per day and direction of the company between Paris Nord and Brussels Midi operates an extensive rail service. Trains run at an average speed of 213 km / h As a result, most commercial flights between these cities were set.

There are five daily international pairs of trains between Cologne (or food) and Paris offered, supplemented for the section between Cologne and Brussels to four pairs of trains ICE Frankfurt- Brussels. 2006 took nearly seven million passengers trains, since the founding of the company more than 55 million.

Development

End of 1995, the first intermediate cars of the new trains was completed.

In the first year of operation (1996 ) used 1.6 million passengers Thalys. 1997 drove three million, 1998 4.7 million passengers on the trains. On 25 March 1999 the ten millionth passenger Thalys was celebrated. Around 14,000 people took this train per day. Between Brussels and Paris utilization was at that time at 65 percent, between Brussels and Cologne at 50 percent. Lag the market share of rail between Paris and Brussels in 1994 at 24 percent, it was around 2000 at 48 percent.

The end of 1997 was incorporated into the Thalys network ( six times daily ) Cologne. In the first six weeks of the 1998 used 62,000 travelers from and to Cologne Thalys trains running trains. Compared to the same period the number of passengers increased ( compared to the trains running at that time Euro City offer) to 15 percent. In the same period, after the commissioning of HSL 1, the number of passengers took the Thalys network by 72 per cent to half a million.

In 1999, the number of passengers year on year by 5.5 percent to 4.98 million. In international traffic, with Germany and the Netherlands, an increase of 17 per cent was recorded.

End of September 1998 was extended a pair of trains from / to Dusseldorf. The extension to Dusseldorf was abandoned in late 2003. During the Expo 2000 Saturday perverted a Thalys between Hannover and Brussels or Paris.

In the first year of operation in Germany around 800,000 passengers used the trains. The forecasts were exceeded by eight percent. 70 percent of customers traveling between Germany and France, two percent were in internal traffic between Dusseldorf, Cologne and Aachen go. The average occupancy between Cologne and Brussels, was 50 percent. By the beginning of 1999, around one million travelers used the road to Cologne or Dusseldorf. By 2007, 8.5 million travelers use the train services between Cologne and Paris.

From the end of May 2000, a pair of trains between Brussels and Geneva was introduced; Saturdays in addition wrong one pair of trains between Amsterdam and Valence.

In 2003 there was the first time in the history of the company to a passenger drop. In the first half of the number of passengers decreased by 3.6 percent. Because of changes price system has responded; since then are constantly recorded passenger growth.

Since 13 June 2004, the Thalys as pure Non smoking trains.

In 2004 the number of passengers increased by 3.9 percent to 5.95 million. Sales rose by 5.6 percent to 318 million euros. In all communications with Germany, sales here fell by four percent. In 2005, the company generated 335 million euros. The average occupancy between Amsterdam and Paris was 70 percent.

During the Presidency of France from 1 July 2008 to 31 December 2008 daily frequented two pairs of special train Thalys Brussels via Paris-Charles -de- Gaulle to Strasbourg. However, these trains were allowed to be used only by members and staff of the EU Parliament.

The proportion of Thalys trains in the modal split between Paris and Brussels is 50 percent.

Between January 2009 and December 2010, the interior of the trains, the exterior paint, the restaurant concept and the overall appearance of the company have been modernized and train attendants and caregivers equipped with new uniforms. On 8 January 2009, the first modernized train (PBA ) went to the rail. During the ten -week conversion in SNCF repair shop Lille, the trains will also receive an ETCS equipment ( Level 2). The total planned cost of the project amounted to around 100 million euros.

As of August 29, 2011 a pair of trains daily runs per over Cologne addition to Essen with a stop in Dusseldorf and Duisburg. In the medium term it is planned to extend three pairs of trains to food.

Tickets

Because of the alighting of the Deutsche Bahn distribution of Thalys tickets has been set by the web 9th June 2013. Tickets are still on the train (25 Euros extra charge ), telephone Thalys even for the same periods as in the Internet sale ( see below), the French (SNCF), the Netherlands (NS) and the Belgian State Railways (SNCB ), some travel agencies (also with charge) and available on the Internet to a maximum of 3 months in advance.

At the Cologne main train station ( in the building across from the main entrance of the station) there since October 22, 2012, ' Thalys Store & More ' .. This acts as a normal travel agency - with the above Restrictions - and demands - even for their own trains - a surcharge.

Service on board

In Thalys be when driving in first class depending on the time of day Breakfast, Food (analogous to the aircraft) or snacks and drinks, including wine and beer served. Furthermore, there is here except on Sundays a large selection of daily newspapers. Between Paris and Brussels, or in the opposite direction a soft cloth immediately after departure (linked to the possibility to reserve a taxi in advance to a higher fee at the destination station of the section ) and just before the arrival been enough chocolate.

Thalys offers since the end of 2008 in all trains wireless Internet access (indicated by " Wifi Inside" on the window). In Class Comfort 1 and in Comfort 2 in the tariffs SEMI -FLEX, B2B and ThePass is the wireless access inclusive, otherwise a fee. Two payment options are available: online payment with a credit card, or purchase a code card to ThalysBar.

On the train running between Paris and Cologne trains four bicycle parking spaces should be provided per train from 2008. This has so far not been implemented yet.

The on-board free magazine Thalyscope informed in current spending on events and attractions on Thalys destinations.

Others

• Of the companies Lima, Marklin and Mehano Thalys there PBKA as H0 model for the model railway. The company Hobbytrain provides a model for N gauge
• In the timetable booklets your travel itinerary, off-hook timetables, car level indicators and the website of the Deutsche Bahn Thalyszüge are referred to by the acronym THA.