Starting June 30, the three-country train allows passengers to travel between Maastricht, the German city of Aachen, and Liège in Belgium without having to change trains.
The route was supposed to start up again on Sunday, June 9, but “significant damage to the infrastructure on the route between Visé and Eijsden as a result of recent thunderstorms” has caused further problems, according to the train operators.
Transport company Arriva is responsible for the route but is working with NS and its Belgian sister company NMBS. “This is not only an important moment for public transport but also a symbol of international cooperation,” said Arriva Regional Director Michiel Cussell.
The route is known as the Drielandentrein in the Netherlands because it stops in three countries. It is also known as LIMAX (Liège-Maastricht-Aachen-Express) in reference to the three main cities where it stops.
Passengers can use the service to travel from Maastricht to both Liège and Aachen without having to change trains.
This is meant to make it easier for residents along the border region to take the train for work, school, and family visits as well as other recreational trips.
Multiple delays for the three-country train
The three-country was also delayed when it entered service in 2019. While The intention was that Liège, Maastricht and Aachen would have been connected by train since the end of 2018, the first train did not run until 27 January, 2019.
One of the reasons for the delay was the European Train Control System (ETCS) required by Belgium. The system was not built into Arriva’s Stadler Flirts.
All trains are now equipped with this security system, just like the Belgian Line 40 (Maastricht-Liège), on which the Three-Country Train will soon run.
The Three-Country Train takes under an hour and a half to cover the entire Liège-Aachen route.
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