Flixtrain France 2021 launch postponed, including Paris – Brussels line

“It is a conscious decision as the conditions are not brought together to consider opening a regular Flixtrain service in France,” said Yvan Lefranc-Morin, chief of Flixbus France, to Agence France-Presse. “The main obstacle that we observe is the infrastructure cost in France, compared to other European markets. With such prices, it seems to be simply unfeasible to launch a new service to give to passengers an alternative and affordable railway offer, like in Germany.” 

If toll costs and railway stations costs were to decrease, “then we could consider a new calendar, opening the “track” to a possible launch of Flixtrain in France in the years to come”, he added.

FlixTrains is already active in Germany since 2018, with 3 lines :
– Stuttgart Central Station – Berlin Central Station
– Cologne Central Station – Hamburg Central Station
– Cologne Central Station – Berlin Central Station (extended to: Aachen Central Station – Leipzig Central Station).

At the moment, only 2 services run on the Brussels – Paris track: Thalys and IZY. The Flixtrain would have stopped at Brussels North, Brussels Central, Brussels South, Mons, Saint-Quentin and Paris Nord.