Overview
- Deutsche Bahn, which disclosed Tuesday it is talking with France's SNCF, is considering adding a second daytime Berlin–Paris train pair from 2028.
- The current Berlin–Paris ICE averages over 80% occupancy, and about three in four passengers ride the entire route.
- Plans with Italy's Trenitalia and Austria's ÖBB aim to launch a Munich–Milan–Rome daytime service in 2027, with a potential extension to Berlin by 2029.
- A direct Berlin–London train is viewed as impractical because customs and security checks would need to occur in Berlin and train certification could run into hundreds of millions of euros.
- Direct service between Berlin and Paris began in late 2024, and stronger than expected end‑to‑end travel points to more people choosing fast rail over flights for long trips.