Deutsche Bahn to expand international routes and launch new Hamburg to Munich sprinter

Deutsche Bahn will expand its international rail connections and introduce a new high-speed service between Hamburg and Munich when its winter timetable takes effect in mid-December, the state-owned railway operator announced.

From the timetable change, the company will offer more than 320 international train journeys daily, including routes to France, Italy and Austria. That marks an increase of 20 connections compared with the current schedule and represents a 20 percent rise compared with 2019 levels, according to the company.

The new timetable takes effect on December 13 and 14. Tickets for journeys under the new schedule go on sale starting Wednesday, October 14.

Among the most notable additions is a new sprinter service linking Hamburg and Munich. Starting December 13, the train will complete the journey in five hours and 20 minutes, making it one of the faster direct rail connections between the two cities. The service will run three times daily in each direction and will stop only in Hannover and Nuremberg along the way.

Michael Peterson, the board member responsible for long-distance transport at Deutsche Bahn, pointed to the cost of fuel in explaining the rationale behind the expanded offerings. "In times of expensive fuel, rail remains a good and affordable alternative to cars and planes," Peterson said.

The railway operator, which has faced financial difficulties and operational challenges in recent years, said the overall domestic network would remain largely stable under the new timetable. However, the company acknowledged that some connections would not be available, largely due to ongoing construction work on the rail network.

Deutsche Bahn emphasized that the timetable changes would not come with higher fares. The announcement follows a commitment made in April by Chief Executive Evelyn Palla, who said passengers would be spared fare increases on long-distance services until May 2027.

The expansion of international connections comes as Deutsche Bahn seeks to position rail travel as a competitive option against air travel and private car journeys across Europe. The company did not provide a detailed breakdown of which specific new routes would be added within the broader category of international services, but confirmed that France, Italy and Austria would be among the destinations seeing increased frequency.

The new Hamburg-Munich sprinter is expected to appeal to business travelers and others seeking faster connections between northern and southern Germany without the additional stops that characterize standard long-distance services. By limiting stops to only Hannover and Nuremberg, the service aims to cut travel time compared with existing options on the same route.

Construction work affecting parts of the German rail network has been a persistent challenge for Deutsche Bahn, contributing to delays and route disruptions in recent years. The company's acknowledgment that some connections would be unavailable under the new timetable reflects these ongoing infrastructure projects, though it did not specify which routes would be affected or for how long.

The pledge to hold fares steady through 2027 marks a significant commitment from Deutsche Bahn at a time when the company has faced scrutiny over its financial performance and service reliability. Palla's April announcement was seen as an effort to retain and attract passengers amid competition from budget airlines and the continued appeal of car travel for some consumers.

Deutsche Bahn's push to grow international rail links aligns with broader European efforts to promote cross-border rail travel as a lower-emission alternative to flying. The company's figures suggesting a 20 percent increase in international journeys compared with 2019, a year often used as a pre-pandemic benchmark for travel demand, indicate a return to and expansion beyond previous service levels on these routes.

Passengers planning international trips or journeys on the new Hamburg-Munich sprinter will need to purchase tickets through Deutsche Bahn's booking channels once sales open on October 14, ahead of the timetable's implementation in mid-December.