Move seen as beneficial to Canadian travellers

Visit Flanders says the merger of two rail networks that both operated in Belgium is a major plus for those wanting to explore that country and other nations in combination with Belgium as well.

The tourism board’s Marco Frank says plans to merge Eurostar and Thalys had been in the works as far back as 2019 but were sidetracked by the pandemic.

The merger finally took place in October after receiving the blessing of the European Commission, and the reborn company will operate as Eurostar.

“Train travel in Europe is still having a profound impact, now as a sustainable way to travel and explore the European continent, with Brussels becoming the centre of the new Eurostar railway network,” Frank says, adding Belgium was the second European country to create a national rail system, with its first line dating back to 1835.

“Canadian travellers will benefit [as a result of the merger] from a larger high-speed network of routes into a single rail network connecting Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Germany, and the UK. This means connections to a wider range of European destinations, including Antwerp, and Cologne, as well as the cities the railway companies have always served, such as London, Paris, and Brussels,” he says. “The larger network will open up new opportunities for travel to and from Flanders, Belgium in a convenient, easy, and sustainable way. Travellers will find a streamlined booking system with a single website, a single ticket booking system, and a single app.”

The core Eurostar high-speed railway network connects major European metropolitan areas London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Cologne with Brussels. The new combined core network carries approximately 18 million travellers each year. The Belgian railway network has a total length of approximately 3,600 km, with about 550 railway stations across the country making it very easy to explore the destination by train.

Frank says train travel is one of the most efficient ways to travel, among other things having a smaller carbon footprint than most other types of travel.

“And travellers are catching on. Demand for rail travel is booming. Eurostar expects to transport about 30 million passengers across its entire network in 2024. New competitors might even enter this lucrative market in the next few years as the boom continues, ” he says. “Trains are comfortable and provide all the amenities that travellers are looking for, from comfortable seats to free Wifi and a luggage allowance.”

Food is also available and is complimentary in premium/business class.

“Similar to airlines, travellers can choose from different booking classes,” he says. “Eurostar offers three different service levels, ranging from standard to premium/business service. Each class comes with its own defined service inclusions. Premium/business clients can enjoy lounge access at the train stations before their departure. In addition to convenience, speed and travel time are also important considerations.”

With trains that can reach a top speed of 300 kilometres per hour, travel to Brussels from London, Paris, Amsterdam, or Cologne takes less than two hours.

Frank notes the Eurostar train network connects the major metropolitan areas from centrally located train stations. In Brussels, Midi-Station in downtown serves as the central station of the network. London is served from St. Pancras, Paris from Gare du Nord, Amsterdam from Amsterdam Centraal, and Cologne from Cologne Hauptbahnhof. Some trains even depart directly from international airports, i.e. Charles-de-Gaulle Airport in Paris, Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, or Düsseldorf Airport, which is close to Cologne.  There are currently eight daily departures from London to Brussels, 16 daily departures to Belgium’s capital from Paris, 14 a day from Amsterdam, and four daily departures from Cologne.

Frank notes that Eurostar works with travel advisors, with more information found at eurostarforagents.com/working-together/.

Frank adds that travel agents may not realize how many benefits selling European rail travel can provide.

“I think travel agents know about the European train network, but may not always be aware how easy it is to use it and how short the travel times and distances have become with a sophisticated high-speed railway network,” he says. “It is good for the awareness that Eurostar and Thalys are now one and jointly we can bring a renewed focus on this sustainable way of exploring Flanders, Belgium and the rest of the European continent.

“Travel advisors should keep in mind the great opportunity that train travel offers for their clients when they visit Europe. Especially the heart of Europe, Flanders, Belgium, is really easy to explore from the neighbouring countries. We look forward to seeing more Canadians using this form of transportation when they come to Belgium.”