I will always remember my first trip with the high-speed train, TGV, to France in 2020. I had missed my flight to London and decided to tour Paris before I left the City of Light.
I wanted transportation means that have enough flexibility without getting stuck in traffic. TGV train become my choice, and I didn’t regret it because I had fun.
I came to London, and my mum asked why I didn’t try Thalys. I quickly have to Google the two train companies. What is the difference Between Thalys and TGV?
There is no difference between the two trains. TGV trains are high-speed trains owned and operated by SNCF, the French national rail system. Thalys are high-speed trains owned and operated by Deutsche Bahn (DB), the German national rail system.
Here is what I learned about the two train companies:
Thalys vs TGV
TGV is a train service in Europe that brought about a revolution since it was launched in France in 1981. TGV is an acronym for a high-speed train in the French language and has been an inspiration for all other European countries.
Thalys is a type of TGV that operates on the route between Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Koln, and a few other destinations.
In a way, Thalys can be compared to Eurostar running across the Channel Tunnel connecting London with Paris and Brussels. More differences between Thalys and TGV will be brought up in this article.
TGV spurred various European governments to think along the same lines to allow fast-speed trains between international destinations.
Having seen the popularity of TGV across France, the national operators of railways in France, Brussels, Netherlands, and Germany came together in an international operation.
This collaboration finally shaped up as Thalys international. The first fast-moving train started its operation on June 4, 1996, when the cities of Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam were connected.
The Success of TGV
The French national rail operator, SNCF, spurred by Japanese attempts to build bullet trains invested heavily in designing high sped trains. However, the company discarded the prototype as it was gas and electricity based.
Further, the international petrol crisis prompted the French government to invest in electricity-powered engine only. The first operation of the TGV (high-speed train in French) took place in 1981 between Paris and Lyon, and immediately caught the fancy of the people.
The train has since been running across many routes and its upgrade has also been run. In 207, France successfully tested the latest version of TGV that touched speeds of 574kmph.
Thesuccess of TGV spurred other countries to have similar train services across major European destinations. The result is there in the form of Thalys for everyone to see.
Eurostar, which opened a new chapter in transportation when it ran underwater in a specially constructed Tunnel in the Channel between UK and France, is another example of TGV technology used by European countries with some modifications.
There is no difference between TGV and Thalys, which is a joint effort of France, Brussels, Netherlands, and Germany to link respective countries through fast-moving train service.
It was the success of TGV that set the tone for international collaboration, and the coming together of national railway operators of these countries to set up tracks and start running specially designed TGV for the routes.
What You Should Know About TGV
The TGV (French: Train à Grande Vitesse, “high-speed train”; previously TurboTrain à Grande Vitesse) is France’s intercity high-speed rail service, operated by SNCF. SNCF worked on a high-speed rail network from 1966 to 1974 and presented the project to President Georges Pompidou who approved it.
Originally designed as turbotrains to be powered by gas turbines, TGV prototypes evolved into electric trains with the 1973 oil crisis. In 1976 the SNCF ordered 87 high-speed trains from Alstom.
Following the inaugural service between Paris and Lyon in 1981 on the LGV Sud-Est (LGV for Ligne à Grande Vitesse; “high-speed line”), the network, centered in Paris, has expanded to connect major cities across France (including Marseille, Lille, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, Rennes, and Montpellier).
In addition, TGV connects with neighboring countries on a combination of high-speed and conventional lines. The TGV network in France carries about 110 million passengers a year.
The high-speed tracks, maintained by SNCF Réseau, are subject to heavy regulation. Confronted with the fact that train drivers would not be able to see signals along the track-side when trains reach full speed, engineers developed the TVM cab-signaling technology, which would later be exported worldwide.
It allows a train engaging in an emergency braking to request within seconds all following trains to reduce their speed; if a driver does not react within 1.5 km (0.93 mi), the system overrides the controls and reduces the train’s speed automatically.
The TVM safety mechanism enables TGVs to depart every three minutes using the same line.
I once thought that TGV was the fastest train in the world, and I was right. The French TGV holds the current world speed record for a commercial train on steel wheels at 574.8 km/h (357.2 mph), achieved on 3 April 2007 on the new LGV Est.
You should be heading to Switzerland if you want a European country with the best train rail. The beautiful country of Switzerland has one of the most efficient and scenic rail networks in the world. However, Japan and Hong Kong have the best rails worldwide.
FAQs
What does Thalys stand for?
The Thalys needed its name because it was not going to be ‘just another train. Thalys is a name with a particularly French sound, but internationally easy to pronounce. It reminds me of ‘talisman’, the French lily, and the coast adjacent to the trajectory: Thalassa.
Is Thalys a high-speed train?
Thalys is a French-Belgian high-speed train operator originally built around the LGV Nord high-speed line between Paris and Brussels. This track is shared with Eurostar trains that go from Paris, Brussels, or Amsterdam to London via Lille and the Channel Tunnel and with French domestic TGV trains
What is the difference between Thalys and TGV?
TGV trains are high-speed trains owned and operated by SNCF, the French national rail system. Thalys are high-speed trains owned and operated by Deutsche-Bahn (DB), the German national rail system.