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Iris (train)

The Iris was an express train that linked Brussels Midi/Zuid in Brussels, Belgium, with Chur station in Chur, Switzerland.

Introduced in 1974,[1] the train was operated by the National Railway Company of Belgium (NMBS/SNCB), the Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois (CFL), the French National Railway Corporation (SNCF) and the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB-CFF-FFS). It was named after a flower, the Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus), which was widespread in the Zenne/Senne valley, where Brussels is located.

Initially, the Iris was a first-class-only Trans Europ Express (TEE). In 1981, it became a two-class InterCity (IC), and on 31 May 1987, it was included in the then-new EuroCity (EC) network.[2] As of 2015, the Iris was one of two EuroCity train-pairs running daily between Brussels and Switzerland; the other was the Vauban.

History

The eastbound service was cut back to Brussels–Basel in December 2011; in December 2013 the latter was also cut back to start in Basel.

The service was discontinued on April 3 2016, alongside the introduction of a high-speed TGV service to Strasbourg.[3]

See also

  • History of rail transport in Belgium
  • History of rail transport in Luxembourg
  • History of rail transport in France
  • History of rail transport in Switzerland
  • List of EuroCity services
  • List of named passenger trains of Europe

External links

References

  1. "Summer services, 1974" (changes due to take effect). Thomas Cook Continental Timetable (March 29–April 25, 1974 edition), p. 465. Peterborough, UK: Thomas Cook Publishing.^
  2. Thomas Cook Continental Timetable (May 31–June 30, 1987 edition), pp. 472, 475. Thomas Cook Publishing.^
  3. Traffic disruptions and alterations SNCB International, NMBS/SNCB^
  4. <ref name=b-e> EuroCity trains: traditional international daytime trains NMBS/SNCB, retrieved 23 March 2013^