Eurostar e320 - 2015
Inaugurated in 1994, the Eurostar was the first high-speed train to circulate in Belgium. This service connects Brussels and Paris to London via the Channel Tunnel at 300 km/h speed. The first Eurostar train sets - of which there were 20 - were made by Alstom. They consisted of 18 coaches with a power car at each end.
From 2015, the Alstom Eurostar trains were gradually replaced with new high-speed trains made by Siemens.
This latest generation of Eurostar, called “e320”, whose name indicates its maximum speed, has a total length of 400 m. The e320 has a railcar with a driver’s cab at each end of the 14 coaches. Thirty-two engines are assembled on 16 bogies distributed over the length of the train set. The e320 has 890 seats, of which 218 are Business and Standard Premier class and 672 are Standard seats. It also has a bar-buffet compartment with chilled display cabinets. In all classes, Wi-Fi is free and there are ceiling-mounted information screens.
Thalys RubY - 2019
Thalys is the high speed train linking Brussels, Antwerp and Liège to the main North-Western European cities at 300 kph: Paris, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Aachen, Cologne and Düsseldorf. In service since 1996, Thalys set out in 1997 on the first high-speed line built in Belgium between Brussels and the French border, which was inaugurated by King Albert II. In total, 26 Thalys trains were ordered from Alstom.
Starting in 2019, the interior furnishings on-board Thalys trains will progressively benefit from a full renovation.
The new design for these Thalys trains is called “RubY” and is the work of Belgian creator Axel Enthoven, with advice and design input from French creator Matali Crasset. With its new shades of red, its contrast between tweed and leather, its completely redesigned lighting and the unprecedented care paid to finish and details, the RubY design offers a new interpretation of Thalys codes.
In terms of services, RubY is part of a sustainable approach with two new spaces for bicycles and clear water toilets. Built-in screens are provided to better inform travellers. The open bar area offers improved modularity. Hence, with 28 additional seats and 15% more luggage space, RubY trains will let ever more passengers discover Europe by high speed train.