The legendary summer train that connected Amsterdam to Marseille is taking its final bow. After more than 20 years of service, Eurostar has decided to discontinue this summer route, leaving thousands of travelers without a direct and comfy way to reach the south of France. It’s a disappointing announcement, especially for Dutch and Belgian passengers who loved this journey.
The Eurostar Sun, formerly known as Thalys Sun, was a true favorite for train holiday enthusiasts. Every summer, it traversed the stunning European landscapes, connecting Amsterdam, Brussels, and Marseille non-stop. What a dreamy route to avoid the hassles of airports and highway traffic! Yet, despite a ridership that flirted with 94% before the pandemic and 4,500 Dutch passengers last year, Eurostar has opted to refocus its strategy on its "main routes."
A line that was doing just fine
According to Cordula Descheemaeker, Eurostar's spokesperson, the com...Pagnie wants to focus its resources on strategic connections between major city centers. So, there will no longer be a direct link to the south of France, even though there was certainly demand for it. This decision is likely to make travel more complicated for many regulars, who will now have to change trains in Brussels or Paris. And there, that's a whole other story: in Paris, passengers will need to navigate their way between Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon, a transfer that takes on average an hour and is far from being a walk in the park.
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This cancellation comes even though Eurostar is doing incredibly well. The company set a record for passenger numbers in 2023 and plans to increase its number of passengers by 30% by 2030. To achieve this goal, they're planning to invest heavily in their fleet with the purchase of 50 new high-speed trains. But it seems the holiday train wasn’t on the priority list.
Source : Spoor Pro
