Thalys is the name of the international high-speed network of the French SNCF (62% share), Belgian SNCB (28% share) and the German DB (10% share). The Dutch NS participate though, and the concession holder of the Dutch part of the HSL Schiphol - Antwerp., But have no share in the company [1] The company is a Belgian company (cooperative limited liability company) and based in Brussels.

Since July 4, 1996 provides the Thalys high-speed services between Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris. On December 14, 1997 was significantly expanded the network of the Thalys. So there were in Belgium connections to destinations including Bruges, Ghent and Ostend and started the services available to Aachen and Cologne. At the same time, the travel time between Brussels and Paris reduced to a small half hour. By opening of new routes between Liège and Aachen, and also between Antwerp and Rotterdam, the travel time significantly shortened from December 2009. Brussels and Amsterdam South-Central are less than 2 hours apart. As of October 30, 2011 there is a daily service between Paris, Brussels and Brussels Airport. Tickets for this program are sold by Thalys, Brussels Airlines and Jet Airways. From 2013, Thalys a daily direct trains between Lille and Amsterdam bets

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Thalys operates several lines in France, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany. The following services run every day:
  Amsterdam - Paris vice versa (ten times a day)

by Central Amsterdam - Schiphol - Rotterdam Centraal - Antwerp Central - Brussels South - Paris-Nord
  Cologne - Paris (- Essen) with (five times daily)

by: Köln Hbf - Aachen Hbf - Liège-Guillemins - Brussels South - Paris-Nord three times a day to / once a day from Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof - Duisburg Hauptbahnhof - Essen Hauptbahnhof
  Brussels Airport - Paris vv (once a day)

by: Brussels Airport - Brussels South - Paris-Nord
  Oostende - Paris vice versa (once a day)

by: Oostende - Brugge - Gent-Sint-Pieters - Brussels South - Paris-Nord
  Liège - Paris vice versa (once a day)

by: Liège-Guillemins - Namur - Charleroi-Sud - Bergen - Paris-Nord
  Paris - Essen (D) vice versa (once a day)

by: Paris-Nord - Brussels South - Liège-Guillemins - Aachen Hbf - Köln Hbf - Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof - Duisburg Hauptbahnhof - Essen Hauptbahnhof

Between Brussels and Paris is generally an hourly service offered, and at times a half hour service.

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For Thalys journeys uses separate Thalys trains in burgundy with silver gray color. The trains are derived from the French TGV set.

There are two types of trains:
  The PBA couples (Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam), are owned by: SNCF (4532-4540) suitable for driving on the Dutch, Belgian and French rail network.
  The PBKA proposals (Paris-Brussels-Cologne-Amsterdam), are owned by SNCB (4301-4307), DB (4321-4322), NS (4331-4332) and SNCF (4341-4346)). The motor vehicles of this are of a different type and are in contrast to the PBA is also suitable for driving on the German railway network.

The material is being renovated since 2009. Research shows that the burgundy color is inseparable from the Thalys, the interior is adjusted accordingly. On the outside is a silver gray band come by until the logo on the nose. The technique of the train has not changed.

Thalys reaches speeds up to 300 km / h and submit the route from Amsterdam to Paris on in 3 hours and 19 minutes.

Thalys was the first train with an internet connection via wifi. The wifi is surcharge, get a ticket in the bar car. Free in first class, passengers in the second class On the Paris - Brussels is full coverage, on the other routes only partially. The transmission outside the train goes through a satellite link, in tunnels and indoor areas taken over by local UMTS and GPRS networks. The radome and underneath the motorized satellite antenna is easily visible on the train. The first tests with this system in 2004 and since 2008 it is fully operational.

In addition to the red-gray version, there are also some temporary special designs.

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