From the end of 2023, all 25 Eurostar trains and the 26 Thalys trains of the merged group are to operate under the "Eurostar" logo. Despite this, the iconic wine-red Thalys trains will continue to keep their familiar color for the time being. "Apart from the logo and the general digital displays, nothing will change for the time being," Christian Hildebrand, Thalys spokesman told GA.

For travelers, booking tickets is to become much easier beginning in October of 2023. In the future, tickets can be booked from a single website and a common booking system in all travel countries. Up to now, this has not been possible.

Gwendoline Cazenave, CEO of Eurostar Group, announced the overall plans associated with the brand merger: "This is designed to help us raise our profile, double the number of passengers over the next ten years and become the backbone of sustainable high-speed transport in Europe."

According to Eurostar, there will also be seamless connections between London and German destinations such as Cologne in the future. Whether there will be a direct connection between the U.K. and Cologne remained open on Wednesday.

"The general idea is to connect the trains better. So rather with a greater tendency to train connections," specified the Thalys spokesman Hildebrand in response to a GA query. Bonn Central Station will not benefit directly from the merger for the time being. "Currently, no new destinations are planned," the spokesman said when asked if Bonn would be scheduled as a new stop.

Eurostar connects Cologne and Paris in 3 hours and 20 minutes, Paris and London in 2 hours and 15 minutes, among other destinations.

Orig. text: Dominik Knur; Translation: ck