A new bullet train with daily services that connects Berlin, Germany and Paris, France, has started operations.
Paris and Berlin are now connected directly by a new bullet train, eliminating the previous requirement to change trains to get between the two cities.
The high-speed ICE train, which links the two cities, is operated by Germany's Deutsche Bahn and takes just over eight hours in either direction. There will be a daily service, with one train departing from Paris and heading for Berlin at 9.55am, and arriving at 6.03pm. The other service will run from Berlin, leaving at 11.54am and arriving in Paris at 7.55am.
The fares for the service will by dynamically priced so will differ depending on the day your travel.
The service was initially announced earlier this year, and the launch of the daytime train comes almost exactly a year after the Austrian train operator ÖBB, started its NightJet overnight journey service which operates between Paris and Berlin, three times a week.
The new service includes stops at Strasbourg, Karlsruhe and Frankfurt and has a total of 444 seats, 11 of which are in first class. Prices vary, for example, travelling on Tuesday, January 7 and returning on Friday, January 10 would cost €119.98 (£99.14). Single journey tickets can be found for €59.99 (£49.57).
Jean-Baptiste Guenot, head of European markets & international development at SNCF Voyageurs said: “The high-speed connection between Paris and Berlin is a milestone in the 17-year-long cooperation between DB and SNCF. It contributes to a common goal of our two countries: more carbon-free mobility. We are very pleased to be able to offer our mutual customers this new, high-quality service", reported Railway-News.
Richard Lutz, CEO of Deutsche Bahn said: “The good German-French cooperation is the backbone of a united Europe. The new ICE direct connection between Berlin and Paris is a symbol of this. We are thus offering our passengers another highlight in international long-distance transport. This is because it is booming: more and more people are choosing to travel by rail when travelling through Europe thanks to attractive offers.”
The bullet train reaches speeds of up to 198.8 miles per hour on the French LGV Est high-speed line and onboard includes amenities such as Wi-Fi, power outlets and catering services.
The Deutsche Bahn AG is the national railway company of Germany, headquartered in Berlin and is a state owned enterprise. The company provides both long-distance and regional transport, serving around 132 million long distance passengers and 1.6 regional passengers in 2022.
Deutsche Bahn's long-distance trains include ICE (Intercity-Express) for high-speed long-distance train services between major cities and regions, EC (EuroCity) for intercity trains that cross borders, and connect Germany with other countries, and IC (InterCity) for long-distance semi-high-speed services that connect regions and cities.