NMBS and NS Hispeed proudly presented, in Amsterdam on 7 july, the new high-speed train for the Amsterdam – Brussels route. Michel Jadot, director of NMBS and Michiel van Roozendaal, director of NS Hispeed, unveiled the name of the high-speed train that will run between Amsterdam and Brussels: the Fyra.
Michiel van Roozendaal: “The unveiling of this train from AnsaldoBreda brings the connection of the Netherlands to the European high-speed network a step closer. This is a development that will be welcomed by our customers and benefit the Netherlands as a whole. The new train will bring European cities closer together. Passengers using Fyra will travel more quickly, easily and in greater comfort”. Michel Jadot: “Brussels is at the centre of the European high-speed network. This new train is about to fill the missing link in the network that previously existed between Brussels, Antwerp and the North. Amsterdam will then be a short one and three quarter hours away from Brussels. This represents a major step forwards in the development of the relationship between our two countries”.
The high-speed train that runs up to 250 km/h will go into service on the Amsterdam – Schiphol – Rotterdam – Antwerp – Brussels and Amsterdam – Schiphol – Rotterdam – Breda route. The high-speed train presented is a prototype. This means that the exterior is complete but the inside is fitted with measurement and test equipment. Test runs will start on the HSL-South in the Netherlands and the L4 high-speed line in Belgium in the near future.
NMBS and NS Hispeed have together 19 high-speed trains (3 and 16 respectively). The fact that it is TSI compliant (Technical Specifications for Interoperability) means this high-speed train is the first that can be operated on the entire European Union network. Depending on the test results from TSI and ERTMS it is anticipated that the high-speed trains will go into operation on the Amsterdam-Brussels route one year after the start of testing. When the high-speed line first comes into use, temporary rolling stock (Traxx locomotives and ICR coaches) will run on it for an initial period at a speed of 160 km/h.
In Fyra, NS Hispeed and NMBS offer the customer both speed and comfort. The train journey from Amsterdam to Brussels - city centre to city centre - will take just 1 hour 46 minutes, while the journey from Rotterdam to Schiphol will take 20 minutes. Customers have the option of purchasing tickets online.
