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ÖBB and Deutsche Bahn are expanding their cross-border services. With the timetable change in December, several new connections are planned, for example, an additional ICE between Berlin and Vienna via Nuremberg.
For now, the two rail companies have not provided any details. The Austrians bought DB’s night train business years ago and are a significant operator of night trains in Europe. ÖBB wants to expand the business, as has always been said. The night services from Vienna include Paris, Brussels, and Genoa.
In addition, another daily connection from Hamburg to Vienna will follow. From December, the ICE from Berlin via Frankfurt/Main and Stuttgart to Innsbruck and back will run daily instead of only on weekends. Between Munich and Salzburg, long-distance trains will run every hour from around 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the future. From Innsbruck to Munich, there will be a two-hour service between 6:40 a.m. and 9:40 p.m. daily.
More modern trains are planned on some routes. For example, new Railjets, which will gradually run between Munich and Italy from April 2024, are to provide more comfort and seats. At the turn of the year, ÖBB Nightjet trains with up to 230 km/h will come into service, initially on the Hamburg-Vienna and Hamburg-Innsbruck routes.
More trains on night services
In addition, more connections will be introduced on night services. From December, the Nightjet will run from Berlin and Vienna to Paris and Brussels three times a week. From fall 2024, the train is scheduled to run daily. This will double the number of Nightjet connections for Berlin.
Austrian Railways and Deutsche Bahn expect about seven million passengers to travel between the two countries this year. That is already 40 percent more than five years ago.
