French rail operator SNCF has said it hopes to launch a Paris-Berlin high-speed service next year with Germany’s Deutsche Bahn to tap into a perceived willingness by passengers to take longer train trips.
The SNCF chief, Jean-Pierre Farandou, said the operator hoped to begin offering one trip a day between the French and German capitals in December 2023.
Several years ago, SNCF did not think travellers would be willing to take a rail journey lasting up to seven hours, but that was changing, he said.
“Together with our German colleagues we’re going to take a chance and launch this train,” said Farandou.
Both SNCF and Deutsche Bahn offer high-speed train services between Paris and Frankfurt, but for the moment you need to change to get to Berlin.
Travelling by high-speed rail results in considerably fewer emissions than by air.
Rail operators are also reviving night trains to lure travellers seeking to reduce the carbon imprint of their long-distance travel.
A Paris-Berlin night service is also expected to resume next year.
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