Eurostar to hold on to its brand name in Thalys merger
Eurostar will retain its brand name even after a planned merger with continental operator Thalys.
The post-merger business will operate from Brussels but UK-bound services will be overseen by an operational centre in London.
The news was first reported by the International Railway Journal.
Speaking to the magazine, Belgian National Railways’ chief executive Sophie Dutordoir said that shareholders and the European Commissions will need to agree but plans are expected to be announced early next year.
Once approved, the new French-Belgian owners will need to devise a plan to get the service back on its feet.
Badly hit as a result of the pandemic, Eurostar suffered major economic losses, relying on a £250m bail-out package from major stakeholders, including the French Government, in May 2021.
“The refinancing agreement is the key factor enabling us to increase our services as the situation with the pandemic starts to improve,” commented Eurostar’s chief executive Jacques Damas.
“Governments’ co-ordinated actions and decisions are crucial to the restoring of demand and the financial recovery of our business.”
UK transport Secretary Grant Shapps last year said that Eurostar was “not our company to rescue,” with the UK government having sold its stake years ago.