Trial runs for new high-speed train services connecting Italy, Germany, and Austria have commenced on European rail lines. Italy's state railway Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) has started tests on routes between Berlin and Munich, and Salzburg and Vienna, in partnership with Deutsche Bahn and ÖBB.
The Frecciarossa 1000, Trenitalia’s high-speed trains, are set to operate these services. Commercial trains are scheduled to launch ahead of summer 2027, initially providing four connections on the existing Milan to Munich and Rome to Munich lines.
Journeys between Milan and Munich are estimated to take around six and a half hours, with stops in Brescia, Verona, Rovereto, Trento, Bolzano, and Innsbruck. The estimated journey between Rome and Munich will be eight and a half hours, with stops in Florence, Bologna, Verona, Rovereto, Trento, Bolzano, and Innsbruck.
Trenitalia and Deutsche Bahn will collaborate on dedicated driver courses and the sharing of technical expertise for the new rail service. Ten further connections are planned to link routes through Milan, Rome, and Munich to Naples and Berlin from December 2028.