From 2015 onwards, Travelteq Express will be the first to compete with Thalys on the train line between Amsterdam and Paris. The Dutch company starts with five trains a day to the French capital and back and will be the first to break the Thalys-monopoly on this line. Travelteq will have stops at Schiphol airport, Rotterdam, Antwerp and Brussels and possibly Breda.

Travelteq is convinced that the new train will be a success: “Market research has been done, a business plan is in place and we have attracted investors,” says initiator and multi-entrepeneur Maarten van den Biggelaar. This second provider will be in the best interest of the traveler, because the prices will be more competitive while the Travelteq trains will be furnished entirely first class with matching service. This means comfortable chairs, lots of legroom, high-speed Internet and great meals – for prices less than the current first class tickets.

For a couple of years, Travelteq has been making products targeted at the modern traveler, such as (laptop) bags, suitcases, travel clothing and travel accessories. Travelteq believes that they can offer a better service at a sharper price. They will lease the trains and pay to use the tracks, because there is plenty of room for their trains on the high-speed tracks. They are currently working hard to submit all the necessary applications and requests in order to ensure that Travelteq Express will depart in two years’ time.