Editing Thalys (section)

===Changes and improvements===

During December 1997, the Belgian [[HSL 1]] line, allowing {{convert|300|kph|mph|0|abbr=on}} and running from the French border to the outskirts of Brussels, was inaugurated.<ref name = "25th howstart"/> On 14 December 1997, the first Thalys train from Paris to Brussels ran on the HSL 1, reducing travel time to 1:25 hours. At the same time, service commenced to Cologne and [[Aachen]] in Germany, and [[Bruges]], [[Charleroi]], [[Ghent]], [[Mons, Belgium|Mons]], [[Namur]] and [[Ostend]] in Belgium. On 19 December 1998, the Thalys Neige service started to the ski resorts of [[Tarentaise Valley]] and [[Bourg-Saint-Maurice]]. In May 1999, the new high-speed line serving [[Charles de Gaulle Airport]] opened, and Thalys started direct services from [[Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport]] to Brussels, including [[codeshare agreement]]s with [[Air France]], [[American Airlines]] and [[Northwest Airlines]]. On 28 November 1999, Westrail International changed its name to Thalys International.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://trimis.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/project/documents/20101004_214019_53137_TREND-Deliverable_B6_final_20060904.pdf |title = Towards new Rail freight quality and concepts in the European Network in respect to market Demand |publisher = trimis.ec.europa.eu |date = 4 October 2010}}</ref>

In 2000, Thalys started a daily service between Brussels and Geneva. With its {{lang|fr|Thalys Soleil}} (French for 'Thalys Sun'), it started offering direct connections to [[Provence]], initially to [[Valence (city)|Valence]], and extended to [[Avignon]] and [[Marseille]] in 2002. Service between Brussels and Cologne was improved in December 2002 when trains began running on the new [[HSL 2]] in Belgium. During 2003, Thalys services started to [[Brussels Airport]] and the Thalys Nuits d'Été service to [[Marne-la-Vallée]]. In 2007, Deutsche Bahn purchased a 10% shareholding, while SNCF reduced its stake to 62% and SNCB to 28%.<ref name=thalyshistory /><ref name="TodaysRailways" />

Beginning on 14 June 2009, the journey between Brussels and Cologne was shortened by 19 minutes when the new high-speed line [[HSL 3]] between Liège and Aachen opened using Deutsche Bahn's thrice-daily [[Intercity-Express|ICE]] trains running between Brussels and Frankfurt.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.ertms.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/12.-ERTMS-deployment-in-Belgium.pdf |title = ERTMS deployment in Belgium |publisher = ertms.net |access-date = 3 July 2022}}</ref> While HSL 3 was completed during 2007, Thalys trains had not been initially equipped with the [[European Train Control System]] (ETCS) signaling equipment necessary to use the new line. Following the completion of installation and testing work, Thalys began operating on HSL 3 on 13 December 2009. For the same reasons, Thalys started operating on the [[HSL 4]]/[[HSL-Zuid]] high-speed line between [[Antwerp]] and Amsterdam on 13 December 2009, two years after the line's construction.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.eurotrib.com/story/2009/12/13/52450/860 |title = Delays come to an end (EU HSR 2009) |publisher = eurotrib.com |date = 13 December 2009}}</ref>

Since 29 August 2011, one return journey to Cologne has been extended to [[Essen Hauptbahnhof]],<ref name=thalysruhr /> and since 30 October 2011, one return journey to Brussels had been extended to [[Brussels National Airport railway station|Brussels National Airport]].<ref name="LaLibre2011" />

On 9 June 2013, {{lang|de|Deutsche Bahn|italic=no}} permanently ceased the sale of tickets for Thalys services, forcing affected travellers to purchase separate tickets. The company also opted to sell its 10 per cent shareholding in Thalys, marking a general parting of ways between the two operators.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.businesstravelnewseurope.com/Ground-Transport/Deutsche-Bahn-to-stop-selling-Thalys-tickets |title = Deutsche Bahn to stop selling Thalys tickets |publisher = businesstravelnewseurope.com |first = Alex |last = McWhirter |date = 17 May 2013}}</ref>

Since the winter 2013 schedule, Thalys has operated services stopping at [[Düsseldorf Airport station]].<ref name="2013ThalysWinterSched" /> On 12 April 2014, it launched a regular service between Lille Europe and Amsterdam Centraal.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.railjournal.com/passenger/high-speed/thalys-launches-amsterdam-lille-high-speed-services/ |title = Thalys launches Amsterdam - Lile services |publisher = railjournal.com |first = Quintus |last = Vosman |date = 14 April 2014}}</ref>

At the end of March 2015, Thalys dropped the Paris – Oostende and the Paris – Brussels – [[Mons railway station|Mons]] – Charleroi – Namur – Liège routes; this withdrawal was reportedly due to a lack of funding from the Belgian government.<ref name = "keeptrack 2015">{{cite web |url = https://www.europebyrail.eu/keeping-track-of-thalys/ |title = Keeping Track of Thalys |first1 = Nicky |last1 = Gardner |first2 = Susanne |last2 = Kries |date = 26 March 2015}}</ref>

On 30 March 2015, Thalys was restructured as a conventional train operating company, adopting the name ''THI Factory'', and has since operated under its own train operator certificate.<ref name="2015ThalysPressRelease" /> Prior to this date, the ownership of Thalys's 26 multi-voltage TGVs had been divided between the four national railway operators holding stakes in the company; they were transferred to the company at this point. These changes were promoted as making Thalys a truly independent company, reducing its interactions with both SNCF and SNCB; headquarters were established in Brussels, with a branch office in Paris.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.railjournal.com/regions/europe/thalys-set-to-become-independent-in-2015/ |title = Thalys set to become independent in 2015 |first = David |last = Briginshaw |date = 10 November 2014}}</ref>

On 21 March 2016, services in Germany were extended to [[Dortmund]].<ref>{{Cite web |date = 23 March 2016 |title = Les trains Thalys Paris-Dortmund en circulation depuis le 21 mars 2016 |url = https://www.kelbillet.com/blog/thalys-2/les-trains-thalys-paris-dortmund-en-circulation-depuis-le-21-mars-2016/ |access-date = 29 April 2022 |website = KelBillet}}</ref>

In March 2018, Thalys ceased all its operations from Lille-Europe, citing disappointing demand (despite lower-than-average ticket prices) and financial results.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}