Thalys launches budget service to Paris

Railway company Thalys is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year with the launch of a new low-cost train service, branded Izy. From 3 April, the Izy train will offer passengers round-trip service between Brussels Midi and Paris Nord starting from €19.

Thalys plans to renovate two Thalys trainsets for the occasion, painting the cars green and purple instead of the company's signature bordeaux colour, writes Brusselnieuws.

The trains – two round trips a day, and three on Fridays and Sundays – will run slightly slower than the high-speed lines, with a trip to Paris taking two hours and 15 minutes on average, compared to one hour and 22 minutes on the more expensive Thalys line.

By reducing the speed and minimizing the service, Izy offers “a journey at a low price but one which is still faster, safer, more sustainable and more comfortable than by car,” Thalys CEO Agnès Ogier said yesterday.