The Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS), perhaps better known under its brand name Trenitalia, confirms willing to extend its existing services to Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris and Berlin. 

Brussels in Belgium and Amsterdam in the Netherlands is currently only served by Eurostar / Thalys and the classic intercity ‘Benelux‘ trains by the Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) and the Belgian NMBS / SNCB.

FS is considering connecting those with Paris in France – a connection now served by Eurostar / Thalys – and with Berlin in Germany. 

“We’re currently understanding how we could be possible partners or possible actors for that part of Europe“, Carlo Palasciano Villamagna, chief international officer of FS, said to the Financial Times. 

Barcelona, not Milan

According to him, there are already “Detailed plans to link Paris and Barcelona“. Palasciano Villamagna also told the newspaper that FS would complement the existing offering, but provide higher standards. 

FS already links Milan in its home country Italy to Paris and is adamant it will connect Paris to Barcelona by the end of 2024. 

Travelling further to the Low Countries was studied together with the Barcelona route. So the connection would not be Amsterdam – Brussels – Paris – Milan but Amsterdam – Brussels – Paris – Barcelona.

FS is already very present in Spain, with its brand Iryo connecting Barcelona to Madrid. 

With its Frecciarossa 1000 units, FS has a very good train for its ambitions, as we discovered in 2022.

More on night trains and transcontinental train travel

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• SNCF and NMBS / SNCB to link Paris to Brussels with ‘slow’ classic train in about 3 hours from December 2024.
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• Sampling NS’ new train and future Benelux rolling stock ICNG.
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• GreenCityTrip launches new destinations for its chartered night trains: Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Malmö, Bologna, Firenze, Bolzano, Como, Salzburg, Linz.
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• BOOK REVIEW | ‘Night Trains, The Rise and Fall of the Sleeper’ by Andrew Martin.
• To use night trains in Portugal and Spain or not?.
• Night trains in Europe.
• Low-cost, long-haul trains to conquer Europe?.
• Fly now before it’s taxed and consider using the train instead.
• Belgium to pay railway infrastructure fee and traction energy costs to lure night trains to Brussels.