Start up Problems of Thalys High Speed Operation in the Netherlands

摘要

After years of preparation, Thalys trains were put in service on the high speed line in the Netherlands on December 13 th 2009. Until that date Thalys had been running on conventional track since 1996. The high speed line allows a reduction of one hour in travel time between Amsterdam and Belgium, but in the first periods punctuality dropped significantly. What were the issues and how were they identified and solved.