Sick of arguing about backpack sizes at the boarding gate? Thankfully, it’s getting easier and quicker to hop from one European country to another via train, so you might soon be able to give up short-haul flights for good.
Those travelling between Italy and Germany could soon be riding through the Alps instead of waiting at the departure gate, as Italian rail operator Trenitalia has begun test runs of its Frecciarossa high-speed trains across Germany and Austria. It’s the final certification step before launching two brand-new direct routes from Milan to Munich, and Rome to Munich. Both are on track to start running commercially in summer 2027.
The Milan-Munich route will take around six and a half hours, calling at Brescia, Verona, Rovereto, Trento, Bolzano and Innsbruck along the way. The Rome-Munich service is the longer of the two at roughly eight and a half hours, adding Florence and Bologna to that same Alpine route through Verona, Trento, Bolzano and Innsbruck. Both will start with four connections a day, run in partnership with Germany’s Deutsche Bahn and Austria’s ÖBB, and Innsbruck is set to become a key interchange for the wider network.
This isn’t just a win for Munich-bound vacationers; it’s part of a massive master plan to conquer European transit. FS Group, Trenitalia’s parent company, has already extended Frecciarossa services into France and Spain, and is eyeing a UK connection via the Channel Tunnel by 2029 (Paris weekenders, take note). ‘The start of test runs in Germany and Austria is a step towards delivering a project that confirms our ambition to make the train the benchmark mode of transport for mobility across Europe,’ said FS chief executive Gianpiero Strisciuglio, describing the wider vision as a high-speed ‘European Metro’ designed to bring regions, people and economies closer together.
Things are set to get even better once the Brenner Base Tunnel opens, which should shave around an hour off journey times between Italy and Germany. From December 2028, the network is expected to expand further still, with ten daily connections between Italy and Germany and routes extended to Naples and Berlin too.
Keen to hear about more new ways to get around Europe by rail? Here are 13 of the most exciting new train routes launching in 2026.
Or browse the best new sleeper trains to ride across Europe if you fancy travelling overnight instead.
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