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Trenitalia, Deutsche Bahn and ÖBB launch Frecciarossa EuroCity trains linking Berlin, Munich, Milan, Rome and Naples

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Starting in December 2026, Trenitalia’s sleek Frecciarossa ETR1000 trains will begin linking major cities across Italy, Austria and Germany with five new daily EuroCity services. These international high-speed routes, developed in collaboration with Deutsche Bahn and ÖBB, mark a significant expansion in European cross-border rail connectivity.

The rollout begins with direct connections between Rome Thermal Baths (Roma Termini) or Milan Central (Milano Centrale) and Munich Main Station (München Hauptbahnhof). 

2026

From December 2026, EuroCity services 1186 and 1187 will run from Rome, while EC1188 and EC1189 will depart from Milan. All routes will use the scenic Brenner Pass, which is set to become a fully-fledged high-speed corridor after 2030 with the completion of a new 55-kilometre tunnel. 

This upgrade will cut travel time between Innsbruck and Bozen / Bolzano from two hours to just 50 minutes.

2027

By June 2027, the Milan to Berlin service will launch, making stops in Munich, Erfurt, Halle, and Berlin. This route, operated as EuroCity 1182 and 1183, introduces a direct north-south axis linking Germany’s capital with the industrial heart of Northern Italy.

December 2027 will see the introduction of a Naples to Munich route, designated EC1180 and EC1181, extending high-speed access from southern Italy to Bavaria.

2028

Finally, the flagship service—a direct high-speed train between Naples and Berlin—is scheduled to begin in June 2028. 

If operated daily as planned, this will likely become the longest direct passenger rail service in Europe, running under EuroCity numbers 1184 and 1185.

All ten new services will operate daily under the EuroCity banner, using Trenitalia’s cutting-edge Frecciarossa fleet. 

Details of the project were filed with Austria’s rail regulator, SchienenControl, and the plan will be officially presented at a joint press conference in Munich by the German, Austrian, and Italian rail companies.

These new links not only strengthen north-south European mobility but also signal a growing shift toward fast, comfortable, and sustainable alternatives to air travel across the continent.

UPDATE 21.05 | High-speed travel from Munich via Innsbruck to Milan and Rome – with new direct connections

The three train operators held a press conference in Munich. This is the press release by Deutsche Bahn. 

Deutsche Bahn (DB), the Italian Trenitalia, and the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) have entered into a cooperation for new direct connections between Munich and Milan and Munich and Rome. 

From the end of 2026, state-of-the-art Italian Frecciarossa high-speed trains will transport European travelers to their destinations in a relaxed, climate-friendly manner, and without transfers, on a route of approximately 600 kilometers for Munich and Milan and approximately 900 kilometers for Munich and Rome. 

The Milan–Berlin and Naples–Berlin connections are planned to commence operations in December 2028. The journey time between Munich and Milan will be approximately six and a half hours, and between Munich and Rome approximately eight and a half hours. 

With the opening of the Brenner Base Tunnel, planned for the end of 2032, travel times are expected to be reduced by approximately one hour.

The new connection is a pilot project supported by the European Commission to promote cross-border rail connections. It is one of ten selected projects with which the EU Commission aims to remove barriers to international rail transport, improve market conditions, and develop attractive, sustainable mobility in Europe.

Michael Peterson, DB Board Member for Long-Distance Passenger Transport, Gianpiero Strisciuglio, CEO of Trenitalia, and Dr. Sabine Stock, Board Member of ÖBB Passenger Transport, announced the cooperation today in Munich and presented the details of the new connections. 

Bavarian Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter praised the project from the perspective of the Free State of Bavaria. 

Apostolos Tzitzikostas, EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, and Ulrich Lange, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Transport, sent a video greeting.

“Europe is growing ever closer together on the railways. We see that people increasingly want to travel across borders in an environmentally friendly way by rail. Our joint project will give a further boost to the booming international long-distance transport sector. Because of the complex framework conditions, successful cross-border long-distance transport in Europe can only be achieved through cooperation,” says Michael Peterson.

Gianpiero Strisciuglio, CEO of Trenitalia: “The train we are bringing to Germany is an Italian achievement in terms of design, innovative materials, comfort, and sustainability, and it is compatible with most European high-speed networks. Thanks to the support of DB and ÖBB, Italy will become even closer to Germany and Austria via rail.”

Dr. Sabine Stock, Board Member of ÖBB Passenger Transport: “With this new connection, Austria and Tyrol will be connected to the Italian high-speed network for the first time. This will bring Europe’s regions closer together – quickly, comfortably, and climate-friendly. Especially in the sensitive Alpine region, every passenger who chooses the train instead of car or plane is a win for the environment and the climate.”

Apostolos Tzitzikostas, EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism: “The expansion of high-speed rail, especially cross-border rail, is our top priority. This new connection between Germany, Austria, and Italy is a strong example of progress on this path. And I am particularly proud that it is one of ten pilot projects of the European Commission with which we are supporting the realization of new cross-border rail connections.”

Christian Bernreiter, Bavarian Minister of Transport: “Italy, Austria, and Bavaria are European feel-good countries: attractive, down-to-earth, successful. It makes perfect sense and is consistent to connect them with additional feel-good trains: direct, fast, and elegant. Munich already has numerous direct connections to many European capitals and economic centers. The fact that Milan and Rome will soon be added to these with high-speed connections further enhances Bavaria’s location and the international appeal of Munich Main Station.”

Ulrich Lange, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Transport: “These pilot connections will make a decisive contribution to strengthening European rail transport. All too often, these connections fail due to the various peculiarities of the respective national regulations and technical constraints. These must now be addressed jointly as quickly as possible. The new federal government is resolutely committed to ensuring that Europe grows even closer together through environmentally and climate-friendly rail transport and will pursue a clear strategy. We also want to ensure that Germany once again lives up to its importance in the overall European rail system.”

The new connections are technically and operationally demanding. The Frecciarossa 1000 will be used as the rolling stock, which has been operating nationally with Trenitalia since 2015. The 200-meter-long trains have eight carriages and 462 seats in four comfort categories. 

They are currently being technically adapted by the manufacturers Hitachi and Alstom for operation in Germany and Austria. This will be followed by extensive test and approval runs in all three countries. The Frecciarossa 1000 is designed and built for use in Italy and the European rail network. In addition to Italy, the train already operates in France and Spain.

Successful and timely approval by the manufacturers Hitachi and Alstom and the authorities is a prerequisite for the start of the connections in December 2026. 

These will then be offered in two phases: The first phase will involve the introduction of two pairs of trains (round trip): one pair each on the Munich–Milan and Munich–Rome routes. Innsbruck will serve as the central hub for the new connection. 

Additional stops between Munich and Milan are planned: Bolzano, Trento, Rovereto, Verona, and Brescia. Stops in Innsbruck, Bolzano, Trento, Rovereto, Verona, Bologna, and Florence (Firenze) are planned for the Munich-Rome connection.

Services are to be gradually expanded to Berlin and Naples starting in December 2028. The complete service will ultimately consist of five train pairs between Germany and Italy:

  • Main connection Munich–Milan.
  • Munich–Innsbruck–Verona–Milan.
  • Berlin–Munich–Innsbruck–Verona–Milan
  • Core connection Munich–Rome.
  • Munich–Innsbruck–Verona–Bologna–Florence–Rome.
  • Munich–Innsbruck–Verona–Bologna–Florence–Rome–Naples.
  • Berlin–Munich–Verona–Bologna–Florence–Rome–Naples

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