Travelling between the UK and some of Europe’s most loved destinations is about to get easier, thanks to a merger between Eurostar and French-Belgian high-speed operator Thalys.
Travellers could soon see themselves jumping on a train in London and getting off in Germany, thanks to the new deal between Eurostar and Thalys.
The merger, AKA. ‘Green Speed’, which had been initiated in September 2019 but was put on ice during the Covid pandemic, was recently approved by the European Commission.
This approval has birthed one huge rail company that will serve five countries – the UK, Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Germany.
The new holding company will be named the Eurostar Group, with both railway companies remaining fully independent with headquarters in London and Brussels.
The shareholders of Eurostar and Thalys noted in a media statement that they are more convinced than ever that the combination of Eurostar and Thalys will help to meet the growing demand for sustainable mobility by promoting the development of a fleet operating on renewable energy.
Rail travel has been dubbed as the new way to see the world, with the slower travel trend taking over fast-paced, ‘hit and run’ trips
Rail provides a much more sustainable travel option over short flights, emitting far less CO2 per passenger.
The company’s ambition is to carry 30 million passengers a year within 10 years (compared to 18 million customers in 2019) under a single brand: Eurostar.
So how will passengers benefit?
Aside from the new destinations on offer, the new network is said to provide improved schedules for quick connections, supported by innovative digital tools at every stage of the journey.
There is also set to be a ‘joint loyalty programme across the unified network’, which basically means that passengers can benefit from more upgrades, discounts and complimentary journeys; including early access to partner offers as well as lounges and other personalised benefits.
For more information visit www.eurostar.com