A Dutch start-up has announced its intention to enter the international rail market, hoping to offer more frequent services and affordable tickets between Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.
Dutch start-up Heurotrain is hoping to launch its own high-speed trains in December 2030, promising more frequent departures, affordable fares and better ticket availability, including for last-minute bookings.
The company signed a 10-year framework agreement with French rail operator SNCF Réseau in October which will allow Heurotrain to secure train paths on the French rail network between Paris and the Belgian border – one of the country’s busiest railway corridors.
“We want to become the first independent European rail operator offering international high-speed connections between Amsterdam and Paris, providing our customers with available seats and accessible trains at affordable prices,” the company said.
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Long way to go
Despite securing access to the French rail network, the start-up still has a long way to go before its trains can even begin operating.
According to Dutch media, Heurotrain said it has already raised €125 million in seed funding. However, this is likely to cover only a fraction of the investment required. Buying the trains alone is expected to cost at least €500 million, with the company now hoping to secure backing from banks and attract further investment through crowdfunding.
The lengthy delivery times for new trains could also present a challenge.
Heurotrain is not the only company looking to challenge Eurostar’s position on European rail routes. Other operators are preparing to enter the market, while GoVolta is planning to launch a night train service between Amsterdam and Paris.
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Heurotrain hopes to distinguish itself from Eurostar by offering more departures throughout the day. The start-up says it intends to offer 16 daily return services between the three capitals, equivalent to an average of one train per hour. This would be more than Eurostar’s current schedule of around 10 daily return services between Paris and Amsterdam.
Journey times are expected to be broadly similar to those offered by Eurostar, with the fastest services taking around three and a half hours between Paris and Amsterdam.
It is not planning to offer trains on the London-Paris route.