The HSL 1 (French: Ligne à Grande Vitesse (LGV) 1, Dutch: Hogesnelheidslijn 1, English: High-Speed Line 1) is a high-speed rail line which connects Brussels, Belgium, with the LGV Nord at the Belgium-France border. It is 88 km (55 mi) long with 71 km of dedicated high-speed tracks and 17 km of modernised lines. Service began on 14 December 1997.The line has appreciably shortened journey times, the journey from Paris to Brussels now taking 1:22.