BRUSSELS — European regulators have approved the pandemic-delayed merger of two high speed rail companies, Politico.eu reports.
The merger of the Eurostar and Thalys companies was first proposed in 2019 [see “Proposed high speed merger …,” Trains News Wire, Sept. 30, 2019] but delayed as both companies struggled with plummeting ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eurostar was nearly forced into bankruptcy.
The European Commission approved the merger on Tuesday, citing “very limited impact on the structure of the market.”
French national railway SNCF has a controlling interest in both companies, which will combine under the Eurostar name and be headquartered in Brussels. It will service the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Technically, Thalys TGVs could run to/from St.Pancras. But as far as I know, safety requirements in the Tunnel (e.g. fire doors between some cars, ability of half the train to go backwards in a case of fire in the Tunnel, etc.) would prevent them from doing so.
Q: Can Thalys TGV equipment operate to London? Or will only Eurostar trainsets be able to run to/from UK?
Yes TGV equipment could theoretically run to St.Pancras, as HS1 is built to continental loading-gauge standards (unlike the historic UK network which has very tight, Victorian-era, loading gauge). In fact, a yellow TGV Mail train (since retired) already operated to St.Pancras on a demonstration run for high-speed freight back in 2012. (The train set has since been retired, and TGV’s no longer carry mail.)
Plans for London – Bordeaux service has also been floated around before the pandemic.