ICE 3, Eurostar, Thalys, or TGV

[iCe]

Which one is your favourite?

Mine is the ICE 3

[Guilford350]

The TGV and the Thalys are my favorites.

[petertenthije]

The ICE-3 looks just great and is extremely comfortable.

BTW, the Thalys is just a TGV. The Thalys has its name because it can operate internationally (FR/BE/NL), other then that there is no difference.

[Guilford350]

BTW, the Thalys is just a TGV. The Thalys has its name because it can operate internationally (FR/BE/NL), other then that there is no difference.

Thanks for the heads up, I didn't know that. I just picked the Thalys because it sounded cool, I had no idea that it was related to the TGV. Maybe I should have done some research before I posted...

[petertenthije]

That's okay!


Thalys is the name of the company running the TGV trains between France and Holland (via Belgium). This company is owned by the national railways of France (SNCF), Belgium (SNCB/NMBS) and the Netherlands (NS), I believe KLM Royal Dutch Airlines also has a share in the train but I am not sure how large.


The main route, with up to 7 daily trips, is:
Amsterdam (NL)
...Schiphol Airport
...the Hague
...Rotterdam
...Antwerp (BE)
Brussels
Paris (FR)

There are also trips linking Paris with Ostende (BE) via Brussels, Paris to Cologne via Brussels andParis to Cologne via Charleroi. Depending on the season there is an extension to the Amsterdam-Paris route going to Geneve, Bourg-st-Maurice, Bordeaux or Marseille.

http://www.thalys.com/v0/img/en_network.gif


Check out this website for more information. For instance the routes, timetables, booking a ride, train layout etc.
http://www.thalys.com/v0/?lg=nl&lg=en


And I could not resist a plug!

http://www.railpictures.net/images/t/thalys1-amsterdam.jpg.61085.thumb
Click Here (http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=29322) to view this photos!

http://www.railpictures.net/images/t/thalys3-amsterdam.jpg.62886.thumb
Click Here (http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=29324) to view this photos!

http://www.railpictures.net/images/t/thalys4-amsterdam.jpg.18876.thumb
Click Here (http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=29325) to view this photos!

http://www.railpictures.net/images/t/thalys2-amsterdam.jpg.31912.thumb
Click Here (http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=29323) to view this photos!

And a normal somewhat boring TGV (for once not my pic). :D
http://www.railpictures.net/images/t/TGVR-549-22361.jpg.72807.thumb
Click Here (http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=21927) to view this photos!

[iCe]

The ICE-3 looks just great and is extremely comfortable.

BTW, the Thalys is just a TGV. The Thalys has its name because it can operate internationally (FR/BE/NL), other then that there is no difference.

But the Thalys that operates from Brussels to Cologne is a different model, and looks nothing like the typical french TGV. It does resemble the TGV Duplex a bit, though.

[iCe]

TGV Atlantique
http://mercurio.iet.unipi.it/pix/fr/electric/emu/TGV/Atlantique/Paris/2003/C-_RT_16_11-01-43.jpg

TGV Duplex
http://mercurio.iet.unipi.it/pix/fr/electric/emu/TGV/Duplex/Paris/2003/C-_RT_15_19-56-07.jpg

Thalys PBA (to Holland)
http://mercurio.iet.unipi.it/pix/fr/electric/emu/TGV/Thalys/PBA/Paris/2003/C-_RT_18_09-29-07.jpg

Thalys PBKA (to Germany)
http://mercurio.iet.unipi.it/pix/fr/electric/emu/TGV/Thalys/PBKA/Paris/2003/C-_RT_21_17-53-01.jpg

Eurostar
http://mercurio.iet.unipi.it/pix/gb/electric/Eurostar/3200/3211.jpg

ICE 3
http://mercurio.iet.unipi.it/pix/de/electric/emu/ICE/ICE-3/Frankfurt/airail2002_8.jpg

[petertenthije]

That Duplex looks so cool! I never seen or heard of it before! How long have the SNCF had this one?

[iCe]

not sure when exactly they put them into routine service...but I saw models and concept designs at least 3 years ago...

[egll]

These are not as fast as some euro trains but they are about as good as we are gonna get in the UK for the next few years.

http://www.therailwaycentre.com/EMU%20photo%20file/390_action


Matt

[iCe]

Actually, the UK now operates the Eurostar in "north-of-London-service", just like the SCNF has been using some of the Eurostars as TGVs

[egll]

Correct...

http://www.therailwaycentre.com/EMU%20photo%20file/373_GNER


I have been on both the regular Eurostar to Paris and Brussells and also the GNER leased North of London Eurostar sets which are used on routes to Yorkshire.

I understand that GNER will be returning these units in 2005 when they will be required for services to and from the new London terminus for Eurostar at St Pancras (currently under construction).

More pictures and details can be found at http://www.therailwaycentre.com/Pages%20EMU/Recognition%20EMU/IllusEMU_373.html which is part of Colin Marsdens very informative 'Railway Centre' site.


Matt