Thalys

In the early 1990s, a proposal emerged to create a new high-speed train, involving the collaboration of national railway companies from France, Germany, Belgium, and The Netherlands. Their objective was to bring this ambitious plan to fruition. An integral aspect of this endeavor was establishing the train as a distinct brand. To accomplish this, each of the four participating countries was tasked with suggesting a qualified national design agency for the project.
While the Dutch NS Railway Company possessed a proficient in-house design department, internal conflicts prompted them to enlist the leadership of Total Design. This decision was influenced by complex historical relationships and conflicting interests among the involved parties. The French and Germans were hesitant to entrust the work to each other, and the Belgians were still developing their design culture at that time.
The NS Railway discreetly insisted on a collaborative approach, closely involving their internal design team in the project. Consequently, this approach was adopted.
Interestingly, the initial stages of this significant project were marked more by political considerations than design factors, defying expectations.
Today, Thalys stands out as one of the most successful branded trains across Europe.
The design direction was overseen by Jelle van der Toorn Vrijthoff, in tandem with a collaborative team from Total Design and the NS Design group.