Arriva already received the green light from the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) in September for the Groningen – Paris application.
Heurotrain has submitted an application to regulator ACM. The company was founded a month ago and is based in Amsterdam.
In principle, Heurotrain’s application has no consequences for Arriva. If Heurotrain also receives a permit, it would be an addition to Arriva’s timetable.
The Arriva train leaves Groningen at 5:30 am and arrives at Gare du Nord in Paris around 10:40 am. In the preliminary plans, the carrier wants to run the train back and forth once a day. In the ‘indicative timetable’, which must be included with the application, the Heurotrain trains depart from Groningen Main Station around 6:30 am and 7:30 am.
The Heurotrain train takes about 5.5 hours and should arrive at Gare du Nord around 11:50 am and 12:50 pm. In the timetable from Paris to Groningen, the train departs at 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM and arrives in Groningen in the early evening.
In the plans, Heurotrain trains will stop in Assen, Zwolle, Almere, Amsterdam Central, Schiphol, Rotterdam Central, Antwerp Central and Brussels South.
Heurotrain expects to be able to transport around 1,100 people per train. As far as they are concerned, the arrangement would come into effect on November 12, 2027, so in four years. Arriva will start – if everything goes according to plan – a year earlier, in 2026. The indicative timetable only indicates the possible timetable and the exact departure and arrival times have not yet been determined.
Arriva is positive about Heurotrain’s application. “We always welcome competition. This is the result of European legislation that makes it possible to offer open access train services. The market is capitalizing on opportunities for more and new train connections. This is good news for international train travelers, also from the North “, said the Arriva spokesperson.
Heurotrain also wants a connection between Amsterdam and London, the company has indicated to ACM.
Heurotrain could not be reached by RTV Noord for an explanation.