Deutsche Bahn AG / Sébastian North
- France and Germany’s railway services will launch a high-speed direct route between Berlin and Paris in 2023.
- The seven-hour journey will be slower than the under two-hour direct flight.
- Germany’s DB and France’s SNCF already operate routes between the two countries’ borders.
A direct high-speed train between Paris and Berlin is now in progress with the promise of an efficient and eco friendly journey between the two major European cities.
Deutsche Bahn AG / Sébastian North
In late May, Germany’s Deutsche Bahn (DB) and France’s Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français (SNCF) announced plans for a nonstop service between the two countries’ capitals, continuing the agencies’ ongoing partnership.
Deutsche Bahn AG / Sébastian North
Source: DB
Germany and France’s railway services already operate several daily trips across the countries’ borders, including a route between Stuttgart, Germany and Paris.
Deutsche Bahn AG / Sébastian North
As of now, the services don’t operate directly between Paris and Berlin.
Deutsche Bahn AG / Sébastian North
But this could change by December 2023, the targeted rollout of the new route, Jean-Pierre Farandou, the president of SNCP, told French news publication AFP.
Deutsche Bahn AG / Sébastian North
Source: The Guardian
The upcoming rail service may be high-speed, but don’t expect it to travel faster than a plane: The journey between Berlin and Paris will be a lofty seven hours long, AFP reported.
Deutsche Bahn AG / Sébastian North
Source: The Guardian
This upcoming direct service will be much slower than the under two-hour direct flight, but it’s still the “best alternative” to flight for both business and leisure travelers, Jean-Pierre Farandou, the president of SNCF, said in a statement.
Deutsche Bahn AG / Sébastian North
Source: DB
This upcoming service comes during a push and rise in train travel amid the ongoing climate crisis.
Deutsche Bahn AG / Sébastian North
While slower and sometimes more expensive, traveling by train is often considered a more environmentally friendly alternative to flight.
Deutsche Bahn AG / Sébastian North
Source: The Guardian
