7 Hours from Paris to Berlin by TGV: SNCF Sets the Date for 2023

The SNCF aims to launch this new route with its German partner.

Proposing a route directly connecting Paris and Berlin: this is the shared ambition of SNCF and Deutsche Bahn. On Tuesday, May 24th, the two companies celebrated the 15th anniversary of their collaboration in Strasbourg. On this occasion, they discussed their plans for a direct connection between the two capitals.

SNCF and Deutsche Bahn hope to launch this new service by the end of 2023. The trip between Paris and Berlin, which would pass through Frankfurt, would take approximately 7 hours. The project plans to offer one round trip per day, operated by an ICE train from the German company. Later, the offer could expand with a second round trip, this time using SNCF’s TGV trains.

The train as a response to the climate emergency

“The high-speed train between Germany and France is a remarkable example of how rail links advance international rail transport. I firmly believe in the great potential of railways in Europe. Our planned new direct connection between the hearts of our two capitals will inspire even more people to travel by train”, declared Richard Lutz, President of Deutsche Bahn AG.

“In the context of the climate emergency, the train is THE mode of transport par excellence and
offers the best alternative for professional and leisure travel between our two countries”, explained Jean-Pierre Farandou, Chairman and CEO of SNCF.

25 million passengers

Renewed in December 2020, the agreement between the two railway companies extends until at least 2025. To date, more than 25 million people have already traveled on one of the TGV or ICE 3 trains running between France and Germany. Launched in 2007, the service includes direct routes between the French capital and the cities of Stuttgart, Frankfurt, and Munich. A Marseille-Frankfurt route was also introduced in 2012.

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