For those who may be interested, the Belgian and Dutch rail systems have just announced their hi-speed train to connect Brussels and Amsterdam, to be called the Fyra. The first train, fitted out as a test bed, will begin testing the new high-speed tracks "in the near future." But it is expected to be a year after testing begins before the high-speed line is open to regular traffic. So for all those travelling between Brussels and Amsterdam....take an intercity train rather than the Thalys....it's cheaper and just as fast, at least for the next year or so.
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9105 posts
Thanks! I read an article about the new service a couple of weeks ago (I personally hate the name "Fyra"...what's up with that- does it have some sort of meaning?). The trains are being built in Italy and will be very similar to the Italian Eurostar trains. Unfortunately one will need reservations when the service begins:(
Posted by
OP
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
Well, it's Swedish for the number "4"......
Posted by
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
2779 posts
Those trains are build in Italy and this is one reason for the delay: The Italians can't meet timelines. It's now expected that scheduled high-speed service can start around late 2010, early 2011. Also those trains are much slower than French TGV, Thalys or Germany ICE trains but also the distance isn't that far. Initally they're supposed to connect Amsterdam via Schipol Airport with Antwerp and then on to Brussels. The actual high-speed part of that journey is Schipol to Antwerp. The rest will be done at regular speed.
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9105 posts
From the article I read, it's physically impossible for the Lyra trains to got as fast as TGV/ICE, because of the closeness of all the stops. Apparently it takes a lot of kilometers to get those high-speed trains to slow down.
Posted by
Grapevine, TX, USA
875 posts
Why can't they just have a couple of daily Thalys express trains from Amsterdam to Brussels and vice versa??
Posted by
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
2779 posts
Janis, that would be just too easy. Every country has to reinvent the wheel, no one just takes over another country's high-speed trains - for patriotic, nationalistic, whatever reason. Also for the US East Coast high speed train they did look at Germany's ICE and France's TGV just to build their own one then...
Posted by
OP
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
Andreas....the main reason the system is so late is because the Dutch have been notoriously slow in building their section of high-speed track...I don't even think it's completed as yet. Yes, the new trains have been delayed, and you have to wonder what possessed them to name an Italian consortium as main contractor....not much nationalistic factor in that.