First direct Paris-Berlin high-speed prepare launches

As of Dec. 16, 2024, Paris and Berlin are linked by a direct high-speed prepare for the primary time. Although the brand new eight-hour rail service is not precisely speedy, the launch is a part of a push inside Europe to scale back short-haul flights in favor of extra eco-friendly prepare choices.

Associated: 28 greatest European routes the place you must take a prepare as an alternative of a airplane

The route and schedule

The Deutsche Bahn Intercity Specific trains are operated by the German nationwide rail operator and its French counterpart SNCF. After leaving Berlin Hauptbahnhof, the prepare stops in Frankfurt and Karlsruhe, Germany, in addition to Strasbourg, France, earlier than reaching its vacation spot at Paris Gare de l’Est.

With day by day departures in every course, the westbound prepare leaves Berlin at 11:54 a.m. and arrives in Paris at 7:55 p.m. The eastbound service departs Paris at 9:55 a.m. and arrives in Berlin at 6:03 p.m. One-way tickets begin at 59 euros (about $61) for second class and 69 euros (about $71) for first-class. Tickets could be bought prematurely by way of Deutsche Bahn or the SNCF web site.

Till now, the one direct service between the 2 capitals has been the OBB Nightjet in a single day prepare, which takes about 13 hours and solely has three weekly departures. The previous daytime service included a connection and took between 9 and 10 1/2 hours.

Associated: Europe’s latest night time prepare now connects 4 capitals — together with Brussels and Prague

Environmental advantages

In fact, the flight between the 2 cities is the quickest mode of transit, at only one hour and 45 minutes. (And finances airline fares are sometimes as little as $40.) However the prepare is a part of a push to supply extra eco-friendly alternate options to short-haul flights inside Europe.

“This creation of a connection contributes to a typical goal of our two nations: to advertise carbon-free mobility,” managing director of TGV-Intercites Alain Krakovitch posted on X in September following the announcement of the brand new service.

In response to the SNCF prepare group, 2 kilograms of carbon dioxide is emitted by prepare between Paris and Berlin per passenger versus 200 kilograms by air per passenger.

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Backside line

Although the brand new Paris-Berlin direct high-speed prepare takes about six hours longer than flying between the 2 European cities and might price about the identical, this prepare route could also be for you if you wish to scale back your carbon emissions in 2025.

When you issue within the roughly hourlong commute between town middle and the airport on every finish (plus attending to the airport early to get by means of safety), you are still solely saving a couple of hours by flying.

While you add the scenic views of the vineyards of France’s Champagne area and the Rhine Valley in western Germany, the sluggish journey appears much more interesting.

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