Fyra (Dutch: [ˈfiːraː]) was an international high-speed rail service between the Netherlands and Belgium using the AnsaldoBreda V250 train.

The service used the HSL-Zuid and HSL 4 railway lines to connect Amsterdam, Schiphol Airport, Rotterdam, Antwerp and Brussels.

[1] Continuous technical difficulties suspended the service, and it was eventually permanently halted due to reliability and safety concerns.

Fyra is also the Swedish word for four, and is said to represent the four important cities which the new trains were intended to serve — Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp and Brussels.

After the manufacturer had been proven unable to address the issues in the contractually foreseen period, NMBS/SNCB permanently withdrew the service and cancelled the contract for the delivery of 3 trains on 31 May 2013.

The continuous problems with Fyra caused public outcry in both Belgium and the Netherlands, including accusations in the Belgian and Dutch media that only financial considerations were behind the decision to purchase V250 trains from AnsaldoBreda.

[citation needed] In a press conference Marc Descheemaecker [nl], former CEO of NMBS/SNCB illustrated his arguments; a metallic strip affixed to the roof had come undone on a moving train and had bent upwards towards the overhead cables, a potentially dangerous situation.

Although all problems were theoretically resolvable it was estimated this would take at least 17 months and the sheer number of issues would prohibit a practical inspection regime.

Additionally, the lengthy repair scenario was considered risky due to the poor financial situation of the manufacturer, which a report by Ernst & Young illustrated with a solvency of -47.5% and low credit ratings for its parent company Finmeccanica.

[12][13] In a press conference on 6 June, AnsaldoBreda dismissed the reports as "baseless and unfounded", and claimed that the trains had been handled poorly by being run too fast (i.e. at maximum commercial speed of 250 km/h) under snow conditions.

[15] NMBS/SNCB filed compensation claims of 40 million euros against AnsaldoBreda in September 2013 seeking a refund of cash paid in advance for three trains that it had never accepted.

[17] NS filed a claim on 25 September against Finmeccanica seeking reimbursement for the trains it wants to return to AnsaldoBreda as well as compensation and damages.