Published on November 21, 2025
Europe’s 2026 train routes are set to transform cross-border and domestic rail travel. Among the most notable launches, European Sleeper will revive the Paris–Brussels–Berlin night service starting 26 March, and SBB will begin its Basel–Copenhagen/Malmö overnight route on 15 April. Meanwhile, ÄŒD-DB-DSB will offer a new Prague–Berlin–Copenhagen ComfortJet service starting 1 May. Italy’s Frecciarossa will introduce high-speed trains between Milan/Rome and Munich by 2026. Other exciting additions include Leo Express with a Warsaw–Kraków–Prague link debuting on 1 March, and Snälltåget with a new Hamburg–Copenhagen–Stockholm day train starting 4 May. In the UK, Hull Trains will begin London–Sheffield services in May 2026, and Go‑op will start regional services from December 2026. These expansions reflect Europe’s commitment to sustainable rail travel, offering passengers more green alternatives to air travel while increasing international connectivity across the continent.
| Route & country/ies | Start date (2026) | Official operators & route notes | Evidence |
| Paris – Brussels – Berlin night train (France/Belgium/Germany) | 26 March 2026 (first departure) | European Sleeper (Netherlands) will revive the direct overnight connection linking Paris, Brussels and Berlin. According to the company’s official website, the first departure from Paris is Thursday 26 March 2026, with trains then running from Paris on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and from Berlin on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Tickets open on 16 December 2025 | European Sleeper’s official page for the Paris–Berlin train states that the inaugural trip is 26 March 2026, describes the weekly schedule and notes that ticket sales open 16 December 2025 |
| Basel – Copenhagen / Malmö night train (Switzerland/Germany/Denmark/Sweden) | 15 April 2026 | Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), in cooperation with private operator RDC Germany and funded through Switzerland’s COâ‚‚ act, will introduce a direct night train from Basel SBB to Copenhagen Airport (continuing to Malmö). SBB’s travel information page notes that, starting 15 April 2026, trains depart Basel at 17:35 and arrive at Copenhagen at 09:02 (with onward arrival at Malmö at 09:35). Return services leave Copenhagen on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 19:34 and arrive in Basel at 11:30. The service runs three times per week and offers sleeping, couchette and seating coaches. | SBB’s official “By train to Copenhagen” page gives the timetable for the new night train and states that it begins operating 15 April 2026, listing departure and arrival times and noting that the train continues to Malmö. |
| Prague – Berlin – Copenhagen (ComfortJet day and night service) (Czech Republic/Germany/Denmark) | 1 May 2026 | ÄŒeské dráhy (ÄŒD), Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Danish Railways (DSB) will launch a direct service linking Prague, Berlin and Copenhagen. A DB press release explains that from 1 May 2026 two pairs of trains will run year‑round. Journey times will be about 7 hours between Copenhagen and Berlin and 11 hours between Copenhagen and Prague; trains will use ÄŒD’s new ComfortJet sets and additional seasonal night services are planned. This project is part of the EU’s cross‑border rail pilot initiative. | DB’s announcement confirms that the direct Copenhagen–Berlin–Prague service begins on 1 May 2026, provides journey times and notes that the service will run all year. |
| Milan / Rome – Munich high‑speed Frecciarossa (Italy/Austria/Germany) | By 2026 (target: December 2026) | Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (Trenitalia), Deutsche Bahn and ÖBB will introduce high‑speed Frecciarossa services between northern and central Italy and Germany. A FS Group press release explains that the Milan – Munich service (via Brescia, Verona, Rovereto, Trento, Bolzano and Innsbruck) will take about 6½ hours; the Rome – Munich service (via Florence, Bologna, Verona, Rovereto, Trento, Bolzano and Innsbruck) will take about 8½ hours. These cross‑border connections are slated to start by 2026 and will be extended to Berlin and Naples by 2028. | The FS Italiane press release states that new Milan–Munich and Rome–Munich high‑speed services will be activated by 2026, giving travel times and describing the route and stations. |
| Warsaw – Kraków – Prague (Poland/Czech Republic) | 1 March 2026 | Leo Express, a private rail operator, announced that from 1 March 2026 it will launch direct connections from Warsaw to Kraków and onwards to Prague. The press release notes that the new service will run twice daily at first, with existing Prague–Kraków routes extended to Warsaw and further departures increasing the frequency to four daily connections. Ticket sales are available through Leo Express channels. | Leo Express’ 27 August 2025 media release confirms that direct trains between Warsaw, Kraków and Prague will begin on 1 March 2026, describes the twice‑daily timetable and notes that the route extends existing Kraków–Prague services. |
| Hamburg – Copenhagen – Stockholm day train (Germany/Denmark/Sweden) | 4 May 2026 | Snälltåget will begin operating a new day train linking Hamburg, Copenhagen, Malmö and Stockholm. The Swedish operator’s site states that from 4 May 2026 the train will run daily and lists the intermediate stops (e.g., Södertälje, Norrköping, Linköping, Nässjö, Alvesta, Hässleholm, Eslöv, Lund, Malmö, Copenhagen Syd, Odense, Kolding, Padborg and Neumünster). It publishes a sample timetable with departure and arrival times for each station. | Snälltåget’s official announcement provides the full timetable and confirms that the direct Hamburg–Copenhagen–Stockholm day train begins 4 May 2026 and will run daily. |
| London King’s Cross – Sheffield via Retford (United Kingdom) | May 2026 | The UK Office of Rail and Road (ORR) approved additional open‑access services on the East Coast Main Line. The approval grants Hull Trains rights to operate two daily return services between London King’s Cross and Sheffield via Retford, with stops at Worksop and Woodhouse, along with a return service between Meadowhall and Sheffield. The services are authorised for May 2026 to December 2032. | ORR’s decision letter summarises the new services, specifying that Hull Trains will operate two daily return services between London King’s Cross and Sheffield via Retford starting May 2026, with stops at Worksop and Woodhouse. |
| Taunton – Weston‑super‑Mare/Westbury/Swindon and Frome – Westbury (United Kingdom) | between Dec 2025 and Dec 2026 | Go‑op (Britain’s first co‑operatively owned train operator) received regulatory approval to operate return services between Taunton and Weston‑super‑Mare, Taunton and Westbury, Taunton and Swindon, and Frome and Westbury. The ORR press release notes that Go‑op plans to start operations from December 2025 and must commence no later than December 2026; the regulator has imposed conditions requiring Go‑op to demonstrate that it has secured finance and rolling stock. | ORR’s press release confirms that Go‑op’s regional open‑access services across Somerset and Wiltshire are approved and must begin by December 2026; it lists the planned routes and states that the regulator will monitor Go‑op’s readiness. |
| Cambridge South station & new stopping patterns (United Kingdom) | June 2026 | Although not a new route, Cambridge South station is a major addition to Britain’s rail network. Network Rail’s project page states that the new four‑platform station adjacent to Cambridge’s biomedical campus is expected to open in June 2026. When it opens, all passing services operated by Greater Anglia, Great Northern, Thameslink and CrossCountry will stop there, creating new stopping patterns and improving regional connectivity. | Network Rail’s official site states that Cambridge South station is expected to open for public use in June 2026, outlines the new facilities and confirms that existing services will call at the station from day one. |
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Tags: 2026 train routes, cross-border rail, European Rail Network, France Germany Italy Rail, Milan Munich High-Speed
Friday, November 21, 2025
Friday, November 21, 2025
Friday, November 21, 2025
Friday, November 21, 2025
Friday, November 21, 2025
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Friday, November 21, 2025
Friday, November 21, 2025