The Molière was an international train operated by SNCF, initially linking Paris and Düsseldorf. The train was named after Jean Baptiste Poquelin, using his stage name.[1]

Molière
Overview
Service typeTrans Europ Express (TEE)
(1973–1979)
InterCity(IC)
(1980–1983)
D train
(1983–1986)
EuroCity(EC)
(1987–1997)
LocaleGermany
Belgium
France
PredecessorTEE Paris - Ruhr
First service3 June 1973 (1973-06-03)
Last service14 December 1997 (1997-12-14)
Current operator(s)SNCF
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in)
Electrification25 kV 50 Hz (France)
3000 V DC (Belgium)
15 kV 16,7 Hz (Germany)
Route map
TEE Molière (red) and the later Thalys (blue)

Trans Europ Express

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The Molière was the successor of Paris-to-Düsseldorf section of the TEE Paris–Ruhr, on the same route and schedule. The name Paris–Ruhr was no longer accurate because the deletion of the Düsseldorf-to-Dortmund section in 1971 meant that the train no longer served the Ruhr.[2]

TEE 40 country station km TEE 41
06:55   Germany Düsseldorf 0 23:11
07:21   Germany Cologne 40 22:44
08:04   Germany Aachen 110 21:57
  Belgium Verviers 140
08:50   Belgium Liège 165 21:10
09:32   Belgium Namur 225 20:34
  Belgium Charleroi Sud 262
10:29   France Maubeuge 304 19:36
**:**   France St Quentin 379
12:10   France Paris Nord 533 17:55

On 1 June 1975 the route was shortened further, to Cologne, resulting in a length just under the economic optimal distance of 500 km.[3] From 28 May 1978 the Molière called in St. Quentin in both directions. On 1 October 1978 the weekend services were scrapped, and on 26 May 1979 the Molière made its last journey as a TEE.

D train

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On 27 May 1979 the Molière was continued as two-class D-train on the same schedule as the TEE.[4] The train consisted of SNCF Corail coaches. In 1980 the train was upgraded to InterCity with train numbers IC 430,431. In May 1983 the route was extended to Copenhagen, conveying sleeping and couchette coaches. This nighttrain became the numbers D 430,431 calling at: København H – Naestved – Nykøbing – Rødby Færge – Puttgarden – Lübeck – Hamburg – Bremen – Osnabrück – Münster – Hamm – Dortmund – Bochum – Essen – Duisburg – Düsseldorf – Köln – Aachen – Verviers – Liège-G. – Namur – Charleroi-Sud – Maubeuge – St. Quentin – Paris-Nord. In May 1986 the route was shortened to Cologne - Paris again, so only a day service remained.

EuroCity

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On 31 May 1987 the Molière was upgraded to EuroCity status. The EC service was initially allocated train numbers EC 40 and EC 41, and the northern terminus became Dortmund instead of Düsseldorf. According to the EuroCity scheduling, the train was part of a trio. Together with EC Gustave Eiffel and EC Parsifal it provided three EC services daily in each direction between Paris and the Ruhr.

EC 40 country station km EC 41
06:50   Germany Dortmund Hbf 23:44
  Germany Bochum Hbf
  Germany Essen Hbf
  Germany Duisburg Hbf
  Germany Düsseldorf
  Germany Cologne
  Germany Aachen
  Belgium Verviers
  Belgium Liège
  Belgium Namur
  Belgium Charleroi Sud
  France Maubeuge
  France St Quentin
13:40   France Paris Nord 16:47

On 23 May 1993 the train was renumbered to EC 30,31. On 14 December 1997 the Molière was replaced by the Paris – Cologne Thalys service.[5]

References

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Works cited

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  • Hajt, Jörg (2001). Das grosse TEE Buch (in German). Bonn/Königswinter: Heel Verlag. ISBN 3-89365-948-X.
  • Mertens, Maurice; Malaspina, Jean-Pierre (2007). La Légende des Trans Europ Express (in French). Vannes: LR Presse. ISBN 978-29-036514-5-9.
  • Goette, Peter (2008). TEE-Züge in Deutschland (in German). Freiburg: EK-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-88255-698-8.
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