Editing Thalys (section)

==History==
===Background and establishment===

Prior to the creation of Thalys, an express rail service had long been operated between the capital cities of Paris and Brussels, the earliest being run in 1924 in the form of the train service l'[[Étoile du Nord (train)|Étoile du Nord]]. By the 1970s, the conventional service connecting the two cities had a journey time of around two hours and 30 minutes.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}} In the following decade, interest in an international high-speed train service along a similar route was gaining traction amongst various governments.<ref name = "25th howstart">{{cite web |url = https://www.railtech.com/policy/2021/06/02/25th-anniversary-of-thalys-how-did-it-start/?gdpr=deny |title = 25th anniversary of Thalys: how did it start? |publisher = railtech.com |date = 2 June 2021}}</ref>

During October 1987, the political decision to create a network of high-speed services between the cities of Paris, Brussels, Cologne, and Amsterdam was made in Brussels.<ref name = "25th howstart"/> However, in 1991, the Dutch parliament initially rejected the project; continued discussions led to an agreement being reached with Belgium for a route via [[Breda]] instead of [[Roosendaal]]. The building of the [[HSL-Zuid]] high speed line in the Netherlands was finally approved in 1996.<ref name = "25th howstart"/> Meanwhile, Germany decided against the construction of a new railway between Aachen and Cologne, instead opting to renovate the existing track between [[Duren]] and [[Cologne]], which resulted in a top speed of 250 kilometres per hour along this section.<ref name = "25th howstart"/> On 28 January 1993, SNCF, SNCB/NMBS,<ref name="thalys.com" /> {{lang|nl|[[Nederlandse Spoorwegen]]|italic=no}} and {{lang|de|[[Deutsche Bundesbahn]]|italic=no}} (which became part of {{lang|de|[[Deutsche Bahn]]|italic=no}} in 1994) signed an agreement to operate the axis on a joint basis.<ref name="2006thalystory" />

During January 1995, ''Westrail International'' was created by the French and Belgian national railways to operate the new international services. That same month, both the logo and brand of ''Thalys'' were also created; the word deliberately lacked any particular meaning, save for being pronounceable in the languages of all the countries served.<ref name = "25th howstart"/> It was decided to procure [[Alstom]]-built [[TGV]] trains, similar to those already used by SNCF on the French national railways, as these were the only suitable rolling stock available at the time. Another key decision was to launch the service in advance of many of the planned high speed lines, being initially reliant upon slower conventional lines until these were eventually completed; the existing international services that used conventional rolling stock were deliberately withdrawn in preparation for the running of Thalys trains in early June 1996.<ref name = "25th howstart"/>

On 4 June 1996, the first Thalys-branded train departed Paris, this maiden journey took two hours and seven minutes to reach to Brussels, and four hours and 47 minutes to arrive in Amsterdam.<ref name=thalyshistory /> Initially, Thalys services only operated four times per day to Amsterdam and Cologne, while a far greater volume were run between Paris and Belgium. While quite restricted early on, the number of Thalys services would be gradually expanded over time, as would the high speed network that supported it.<ref name = "25th howstart"/>

===Changes and improvements===

During December 1997, the Belgian [[HSL 1]] line, allowing {{convert|300|kph|mph|0|abbr=on}} and running from the French border to the outskirts of Brussels, was inaugurated.<ref name = "25th howstart"/> 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, Belgium|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 [[Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport]] to Brussels, including [[codeshare agreement]]s with [[Air France]], [[American Airlines]] and [[Northwest Airlines]]. On 28 November 1999, Westrail International changed its name to Thalys International.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://trimis.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/project/documents/20101004_214019_53137_TREND-Deliverable_B6_final_20060904.pdf |title = Towards new Rail freight quality and concepts in the European Network in respect to market Demand |publisher = trimis.ec.europa.eu |date = 4 October 2010}}</ref>

In 2000, Thalys started a daily service between Brussels and Geneva. With its {{lang|fr|Thalys Soleil}} (French for 'Thalys Sun'), it started offering direct connections to [[Provence]], initially to [[Valence (city)|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. During 2003, Thalys services started to [[Brussels Airport]] and the Thalys Nuits d'Été service to [[Marne-la-Vallée]]. In 2007, Deutsche Bahn purchased a 10% shareholding, while SNCF reduced its stake to 62% and SNCB to 28%.<ref name=thalyshistory /><ref name="TodaysRailways" />

Beginning on 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 [[Intercity-Express|ICE]] trains running between Brussels and Frankfurt.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.ertms.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/12.-ERTMS-deployment-in-Belgium.pdf |title = ERTMS deployment in Belgium |publisher = ertms.net |access-date = 3 July 2022}}</ref> While HSL 3 was completed during 2007, Thalys trains had not been initially equipped with the [[European Train Control System]] (ETCS) signaling equipment necessary to use the new line. Following the completion of installation and testing work, 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 on 13 December 2009, two years after the line's construction.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.eurotrib.com/story/2009/12/13/52450/860 |title = Delays come to an end (EU HSR 2009) |publisher = eurotrib.com |date = 13 December 2009}}</ref>

Since 29 August 2011, one return journey to Cologne has been extended to [[Essen Hauptbahnhof]],<ref name=thalysruhr /> and since 30 October 2011, one return journey to Brussels had been extended to [[Brussels National Airport railway station|Brussels National Airport]].<ref name="LaLibre2011" />

On 9 June 2013, {{lang|de|Deutsche Bahn|italic=no}} permanently ceased the sale of tickets for Thalys services, forcing affected travellers to purchase separate tickets. The company also opted to sell its 10 per cent shareholding in Thalys, marking a general parting of ways between the two operators.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.businesstravelnewseurope.com/Ground-Transport/Deutsche-Bahn-to-stop-selling-Thalys-tickets |title = Deutsche Bahn to stop selling Thalys tickets |publisher = businesstravelnewseurope.com |first = Alex |last = McWhirter |date = 17 May 2013}}</ref>

Since the winter 2013 schedule, Thalys has operated services stopping at [[Düsseldorf Airport station]].<ref name="2013ThalysWinterSched" /> On 12 April 2014, it launched a regular service between Lille Europe and Amsterdam Centraal.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.railjournal.com/passenger/high-speed/thalys-launches-amsterdam-lille-high-speed-services/ |title = Thalys launches Amsterdam - Lile services |publisher = railjournal.com |first = Quintus |last = Vosman |date = 14 April 2014}}</ref>

At the end of March 2015, Thalys dropped the Paris – Oostende and the Paris – Brussels – [[Mons railway station|Mons]] – Charleroi – Namur – Liège routes; this withdrawal was reportedly due to a lack of funding from the Belgian government.<ref name = "keeptrack 2015">{{cite web |url = https://www.europebyrail.eu/keeping-track-of-thalys/ |title = Keeping Track of Thalys |first1 = Nicky |last1 = Gardner |first2 = Susanne |last2 = Kries |date = 26 March 2015}}</ref>

On 30 March 2015, Thalys was restructured as a conventional train operating company, adopting the name ''THI Factory'', and has since operated under its own train operator certificate.<ref name="2015ThalysPressRelease" /> Prior to this date, the ownership of Thalys's 26 multi-voltage TGVs had been divided between the four national railway operators holding stakes in the company; they were transferred to the company at this point. These changes were promoted as making Thalys a truly independent company, reducing its interactions with both SNCF and SNCB; headquarters were established in Brussels, with a branch office in Paris.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.railjournal.com/regions/europe/thalys-set-to-become-independent-in-2015/ |title = Thalys set to become independent in 2015 |first = David |last = Briginshaw |date = 10 November 2014}}</ref>

On 21 March 2016, services in Germany were extended to [[Dortmund]].<ref>{{Cite web |date = 23 March 2016 |title = Les trains Thalys Paris-Dortmund en circulation depuis le 21 mars 2016 |url = https://www.kelbillet.com/blog/thalys-2/les-trains-thalys-paris-dortmund-en-circulation-depuis-le-21-mars-2016/ |access-date = 29 April 2022 |website = KelBillet}}</ref>

In March 2018, Thalys ceased all its operations from Lille-Europe, citing disappointing demand (despite lower-than-average ticket prices) and financial results.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

===Merger with Eurostar===
{{main|Eurostar}}
[[File:Thalys Eurostar Red logo in Paris-Nord.jpg|thumb|Two Eurostar (formerly Thalys) trains coupled in [[Gare du Nord|Paris-Nord station]] on 19 October 2023: one of them still wears the Thalys logo.]]
In September 2019, the shareholders of the cross-Channel high speed train operator [[Eurostar]] and Thalys introduced a plan to merge the two companies, named project ''Green Speed''. Both companies already operate in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, with Eurostar also operating in the United Kingdom, and Thalys also operating in Germany, while SNCF already held a [[majority stake]] in both operators. The project was promoted as reducing costs and providing a more seamless experience to passengers via the use of a single [[Electronic ticket|ticketing system]] and [[loyalty program]].<ref>{{Cite web |date = 27 September 2019 |title = Eurostar-Thalys merger proposal revealed |url = https://www.railjournal.com/passenger/high-speed/eurostar-thalys-merger-proposal-revealed/ |access-date = 2 May 2022 |website = International Railway Journal |language = en-GB}}</ref><ref name="EurostarThalys" />

During September 2020, the merger between Thalys and [[Eurostar International]] was confirmed,<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2020/09/16/eurostar-and-thalys-to-merge-in-2021/ |title = Eurostar and Thalys to merge in 2021 |work = Business Traveller |date = 16 September 2020 |access-date = 5 January 2021}}</ref><ref name="RailGazette" /><ref name="RailMag" /> In October 2021, it was announced that, upon the completion of the merger, it was intended for all of Thalys's services to be rebranded as Eurostar.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.railwaygazette.com/high-speed/eurostar-brand-to-remain-after-thalys-merger/60033.article |title = Eurostar brand to remain after Thalys merger |work = Railway Gazette International |date = 5 October 2021 |access-date = 5 October 2021}}</ref>  On 28 March 2022, the [[European Commission]] approved the merger.<ref>{{Cite web |title = Competition Policy |url = https://ec.europa.eu/competition-policy/index_en |access-date = 30 March 2022 |website = ec.europa.eu |language = en}}</ref> The rebranding of Thalys services commenced in the autumn of 2023, and was planned to be completed by early in 2024. All services of the Eurostar brand will carry a common Eurostar logo, but with the cross-channel trains retaining their dark blue livery, and Thalys's rolling stock retaining its deep red livery.<ref>{{Cite web |last = Timothy |date = 3 November 2021 |title = Eurostar ex-Thalys trains will keep 'ruby' red livery after 2024 merger |url = https://tripbytrip.org/2021/11/03/eurostar-ex-thalys-trains-will-keep-ruby-red-livery-after-2024-merger/ |access-date = 30 March 2022 |website = Trip By Trip |language = en}}</ref> In April 2022, THI Factory was acquired by a new holding company, [[Eurostar Group]]; its former shareholders received a corresponding stake in the new holding company.<ref name="apil22 merged">{{Cite web |date = 2 May 2022 |title = Eurostar, Thalys merge to bring more high-speed rail routes to Europe |url = https://www.railway-technology.com/news/eurostar-thalys-high-speed-rail/ |access-date = 2 May 2022 |website = Railway Technology |language = en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.railjournal.com/passenger/high-speed/eurostar-thalys-merger-completed/ |title = Eurostar - Thalys merger completed |publisher = railjournal.com |date = 13 May 2022}}</ref>

The change of logo on the trains took time to complete; during a transition period, some PBA/PBKA trains with the new "Eurostar" logo could be seen together with others still wearing the older "Thalys" logo.