A full record of recent routes organized by European nation.
As flight-free journey beneficial properties momentum, European prepare journeys are experiencing a renaissance.
The newest inter-country route is ready to hyperlink three under-the-radar cities in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.
Altering the way in which you journey is one the very best methods to cut back your carbon footprint. For instance, flying from London to Paris emits 14 occasions extra CO2 than travelling by prepare.
Fortunately, international locations throughout the EU are investing in railways that present higher – and sooner – connections than ever earlier than.
From budget-savvy evening trains to cross-country tracks, listed here are all the newest European railway routes.
Austria
Vienna to Paris with Nightjet
Austrian nationwide rail agency ÖBB has been trailblazing Europe’s sleeper prepare revival with Nightjet since 2016. In late 2021, it launched a brand new route between Vienna and Paris through Salzburg and Munich.
The journey takes 14 hours and runs thrice every week in each instructions, with costs from round €30 for a seat to €120 and up for a non-public compartment.
In summer season 2023, Nightjet will launch new-gen trains that rival first-class flights in consolation. Anticipate wi-fi charging stations, free wifi, bicycle and snow sports activities gear storage and personal compartments with their very own showers and bogs.
Vienna to Genoa and La Spezia with Nightjet
Nightjet’s new 2023 timetable noticed its Vienna/Munich service to Milan prolonged to Genoa and La Spezia in Italy. From right here, you may take trains on to Monaco, Good and Cinque Terre.
Belgium
Brussels to Berlin through Amsterdam with European Sleeper
The long-teased European Sleeper, a Belgian-Dutch social cooperative, launch its first route – from Brussels to Berlin through Amsterdam – on 25 Could.
With just one change, passengers on the European Sleeper can journey on to Paris, London, Prague and Warsaw. From 2024, the plan is to increase the service to Dresden and Prague.
Liège to Aachen and Maastricht with****Arriva, SNCB and NS (December 2023)
A brand new three-country prepare service will hyperlink Aachen in Germany, Liège in Belgium and Maastricht within the Netherlands.
The undertaking is a collaboration between Arriva (a part of Germany’s Deutsche Bahn Group), SNCB (the Nationwide Railway Firm of Belgium) and NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen).
Czech Republic
Prague to Zurich with ČD
In December 2022, the Czech Republic’s nationwide rail operator České dráhy (ČD) launched a brand new sleeper service linking Prague to Zurich, with stops at Frankfurt and Basel alongside the way in which.
The in a single day journey, a revival of a service that closed down in 2017, will take barely lower than 14 hours. Travellers can have quite a lot of totally different fare choices, from six-bed couchettes to deluxe sleeper compartments with en-suite bogs and showers.
Tickets for a berth in a six-bed couchette begin from €49.90.
France
Paris to Aurillac with SNCF (December 2023)
The Paris-Aurillac evening prepare, which got here out of service within the early 2000s, is ready to make a comeback later this 12 months.
SNCF Voyageurs has introduced that Le Pyrénéen and L’Occitan evening trains will hyperlink the French capital with the south-central commune from 10 December 2023.
A every day prepare will serve town of Cantal throughout vacation intervals, and on Friday and Sunday evenings in every course the remainder of the time.
That is a part of a wider initiative to relaunch the nation’s evening trains, which has to this point included the Paris-Good and Paris-Lourdes companies.
Paris to Berlin with TGV (2024)
France and Germany have introduced a brand new TGV prepare route between Paris and Berlin that is because of begin working in 2024.
At present, a visit between the 2 capital cities requires travellers to alter at a separate station equivalent to Cologne or Frankfurt. The brand new high-speed hyperlink would enable passengers to make the journey in round seven hours.
Paris to Venice with Midnight Trains (2025)
French startup Midnight Trains is ready to attach France and Italy with a brand new evening prepare service from Paris to Venice through Milan from 2025, backed by the European Fee. This can make it sooner and less complicated for UK travellers to take the prepare to Italy.
Paris to Madrid with Trenitalia (begins late 2024)
In December 2022, FS Italiane Group – the proprietor of Italy’s nationwide state-owned railway Trenitalia – introduced plans for a brand new high-speed Frecciarossa prepare connection between Paris and Madrid.
The brand new prepare will hyperlink Paris and Barcelona, the place the prevailing high-speed service already runs to the Spanish capital. It’s projected to launch in late 2024, with hints that additional companies might join Madrid with Italy through France.
Germany
Berlin to Stockholm with Snälltåget
Swedish railway firm Snälltåget has rerouted its Berlin to Malmö prepare service by means of Hamburg and Denmark, whereas extending it to Stockholm. The complete journey takes just below 17 hours with costs for the direct service from round €50.
Munich to Genoa and La Spezia with Nightjet
Nightjet’s new 2023 timetable noticed its Vienna/Munich service to Milan prolonged to Genoa and La Spezia in Italy. From right here, onward journey to Monaco, Good and Cinque Terre is feasible.
Stuttgart to Zagreb and Rijeka with Nightjet and EuroNight
In its new 2023 timetable, Nightjet prolonged its sleeper prepare service from Munich to Venice, Ljubljana and Zagreb to begin in Stuttgart, Germany.
Seasonally, the route can even run to the coastal Croatian metropolis of Rijeka, with a complete journey time of round 15 hours.
The Nightjet to Venice travels through Munich, Salzburg and Treviso, whereas the service to the Croatian and Slovenian capitals is run by Croatian Railways HŽ and Slovenian Railways SŽ underneath ÖBB’s EuroNight.
Brussels to Berlin with European Sleeper
Particulars above.
Liège to Aachen and Maastricht with Arriva, SNCB and NS (December 2023)
Particulars above.
Italy
Genoa to Naples with NTV Italo
In late 2021, Italian high-speed rail firm NTV Italo launched a Genoa service linking the beforehand poorly linked port metropolis in Italy’s northwest to the south of the nation.
The journey from Genoa to Naples takes just below seven hours and prices from round €80 return.
Milan to Paris with Frecciarossa
Additionally in late 2021, Frecciarossa – the high-speed arm of Italian nationwide prepare operator Trenitalia – launched a swanky new prepare between Milan and Paris.
Sooner and extra luxurious than earlier companies on this route, the prepare takes just below seven hours. Tickets are as low cost as €29 – although splash out on an ‘government’ fare to journey in a snug armchair.
Portugal
Porto to Lisbon and Vigo with the Iberian high-speed rail community (building beginning in 2024)
Portugal has permitted plans for a high-speed rail line between Lisbon, Porto and Vigo. It is going to be a part of the broader Iberian high-speed rail community uniting the nation and connecting it with Spain.
At present it takes virtually three hours to journey by prepare between Porto and Lisbon. The brand new rail hyperlink will slash the journey time to only 1 hour quarter-hour. Finally, the brand new line will join the Portuguese cities with Vigo in Spain.
Netherlands
Amsterdam to Austria with TUI’s Ski Categorical
Snow sport lovers are bracing for a brand new in a single day prepare launching between Amsterdam and a few of Austria’s largest ski resorts.
TUI’s ‘Ski Categorical’ will depart from Amsterdam each Friday evening between 23 December and 31 March. After leaving the Dutch capital at 5:30pm, the service will cease at Utrecht, then proceed on to Austria.
Amsterdam to Zurich with Nightjet
Austrian-led evening prepare pioneer Nightjet launched a route between Amsterdam and Zurich in late 2021. It leaves at 8.30pm and arrives at 8.05am.
Sleeping choices vary from couchettes (from round €60) to sleeper cabins (from round €120).
Liège to Aachen and Maastricht with Arriva, SNCB and NS (December 2023)
Particulars above.
Amsterdam to Barcelona with European Sleeper (Spring 2025)
Quickly-to-launch Dutch-Belgian prepare operator European Sleeper hopes to launch a brand new evening prepare service from Amsterdam to Barcelona in spring 2025. This may vastly enhance north-south rail connections in Europe.
Amsterdam to Berlin with Qbuzz (January 2027)
Qbuzz is making the most of the EU’s ‘open entry’ railway bundle by making use of for 3 new prepare connections: Amsterdam to Eindhoven, Amsterdam to Berlin and Amsterdam to Paris.
If permitted by the Netherlands Authority for Customers and Markets (ACM), these may very well be operational from January 2027.
Spain
Madrid to Alicante and Valencia with Ouigo, Avlo and Iryo
In November 2022, SNCF-owned Ouigo launched a brand new high-speed, low-cost route between Madrid and Valencia. From summer season 2023 it would additionally run to Alicante. Tickets will initially be priced at €9 one-way with one suitcase, however will price round €30 after the launch interval.
However Renfe’s Aryo is ready to beat it to the punch – the low price operator will launch its personal Madrid to Alicante service on 27 March beginning at simply €7. Iryo will launch an analogous service on 2 June.
In 2023 and 2024, Ouigo plans to increase its service to achieve Cordoba, Seville, Malaga and the Costa del Sol.
Barcelona to Madrid with Iryo
Travelling between Spain’s capital and its high vacationer metropolis acquired sooner and cheaper in November 2022 with this new high-speed rail service from Iryo.
Iryo – a consortium between Spanish airline Air Nostrum and Italian prepare firm Trenitalia – runs 16 return trains every day between Barcelona and Madrid, taking as little as 2.5 hours every means and costing simply €18.
On 31 March 2023, the low-cost rail supplier can even launch a service between Malaga, Madrid and Cordoba, with a journey time of three hours. From June 2023, Renfe’s Avlo can even hyperlink Madrid with Malaga and Seville.
Madrid to Marseille through Barcelona with Renfe (mid 2023)
Spain’s state owned rail community is ready to launch new high-speed AVE companies to France in 2023. Trains are anticipated to initially run on alternate days however will later be ramped as much as twice a day.
Barcelona to Lyon through Montpellier and Nimes with Renfe (mid 2023)
Renfe’s plan to increase its prepare companies into France consists of one other new route attributable to launch later this 12 months between Barcelona and Lyon.
Additional routes to Paris are anticipated by the tip of the 12 months.
Slovenia
Ljubljana to Budapest with Hungarian Railways
Launched in December 2021, the Hungarian Railways prepare from Ljubljana, Slovenia to Budapest, Hungary runs by means of Graz in Austria for a scenic experience. The journey takes 7.5 hours and costs begin as little as €16 every means.
Sweden
Stockholm to Hamburg with SJ EuroNight
Launched in September 2022, the Stockholm Central to Hamburg-Altona evening prepare is powered by renewable vitality. It departs every day at 5.30pm and arrives at 6.30am, passing by means of Copenhagen alongside the way in which.
The most affordable possibility is a seat in a carriage (from €25). A mattress in a shared compartment begins at €45, whereas a non-public compartment for 2 individuals with a sink begins at €165. Non-public compartments for one-to-three individuals include their very own bathe, bathroom and breakfast ranging from round €205. Pet-friendly prepare compartments are additionally out there.
Mixed with present Eurostar and Deutsche Bahn companies, the service may also be used to journey from London to Stockholm in lower than 24 hours.
Switzerland
Zurich to Rome with Nightjet
In a 2020 press convention, Nightjet introduced it would launch a brand new evening prepare between Zurich and Rome in winter 2022. It stays to be seen whether or not the plans will go forward as scheduled. At present, the operator’s solely Rome routes embrace Vienna, Salzburg, Villach and Munich.
UK
London to Bordeaux with HS1 (roughly 2026)
The UK’s Excessive Velocity 1 (HS1), which operates the Channel Tunnel railway line, is gearing as much as launch a brand new route from London to Bordeaux. At present, passengers should go by means of Paris to achieve the French wine area, with a journey time of virtually six hours. The brand new line will bypass the capital and slash the journey time to round 5 hours.
