Paris-London rival
SPANISH state-owned operator Renfe has reportedly expressed its intention to run a high-speed train service between Paris and London.The move would put it in competition with Eurostar, which is majority owned by France’s SNCF. Renfe is said to have studied the market and believes the operation would be ‘profitable’, and so plans to bid for slots through the Channel Tunnel.
High speed merger
EUROSTAR and Thalys have resumed their merger plans, with French operator SNCF being the majority shareholder while Belgian SNCB will get 18.5% of the shares. Headquartered in Brussels, the new company would eventually drop the less internationally known Thalys brand. If approved by the European Commission, the move will create the first high-speed train company connecting five countries.