New High-Speed Routes to Link Germany and Italy

High-speed routes between Germany and Italy will begin operating in 2026, offering direct rail connections between major cities through Austrian territory. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

High-Speed Routes to Connect Major European Cities

Deutsche Bahn, ÖBB, and Trenitalia signed an agreement to launch new rail services linking Berlin, Munich, Milan, Rome, and Naples. The companies will align technical standards and regulatory requirements.

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The first services are scheduled to begin in December 2026. The Munich–Milan route (6.5 hours) and Munich–Rome route (8.5 hours) will be the initial offerings.

Additional routes will be launched by the end of 2028. When the Brenner Base Tunnel opens in 2032, travel time will be reduced by another hour.

Rolling Stock for High-Speed Routes

The routes will be served by eight-car Frecciarossa 1000 trains, developed jointly by Hitachi Rail Italy and Alstom. In February, Trenitalia began upgrading ten units.

These trains are being adapted for use in Germany and Austria. Additional rolling stock is expected to be purchased, although the scale of the order has not been disclosed.

To finance the investment, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane issued €400 million in bonds. The transaction was carried out with the support of EUROFIMA, where FS holds a 13.5% equity stake.

The funding will support the acquisition of new trains and the expansion of transalpine rail service. This project aims to make cross-border travel more efficient and comfortable.

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