Overview

• Passenger numbers on routes over four hours rose 5% from 2023 to 2024, versus 1.5% growth on shorter journeys.
• Long-haul lines such as Berlin–Krakau saw nearly 30% growth, followed by Hamburg–Copenhagen at 19%.
• Since late 2024 Deutsche Bahn has operated a daily eight-hour ICE service between Berlin and Paris and plans direct Munich–Milan and Munich–Rome trains by the end of 2026.
• In partnership with Eurostar, the group is exploring a five-hour Frankfurt–London link expected in the early 2030s, though details remain provisional.
• Significant gaps remain in infrastructure, with only 28 of 57 German rail border crossings electrified, particularly toward Eastern Europe.