Europe has some of the best train services in the world, connecting countries so seamlessly that booking a flight is unnecessary. Incredible news then: two of Europe’s most popular capitals will soon have a direct service connecting them, broadening the continent’s impressive rail options.
A new partnership between Norway’s national railway Vy, Denmark’s DSB and Germany’s Deutsche Bahn means there will be a direct line between Berlin and Oslo for the first time in 20 years.
The new service will run a twice-daily round trip from summer 2028, through Hamburg, Copenhagen, Malmö and Gothenburg. Ticket prices and departure times will be shared at a later date.
The full journey is expected to be: Oslo, Moss, Fredrikstad, Sarpsborg, Halden, Trollhättan, Gothenburg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Lund, Malmö, Copenhagen Airport, Copenhagen H, Odense, Kolding, Padborg and Hamburg and, finally, Berlin.
“We are proud that, together with Vy and DB, we will soon be able to offer one of the longest train routes in Europe,” Flemming Jensen, CEO of Danish rail operator DSB, said. “This is not something we can achieve on our own – strong rail connections in Europe depend on strong partnerships between railway companies.”
Meanwhile, Michael Peterson, CEO of DB Fernverkehr, Deutsche Bahn’s long‑distance division, said that with high fuel prices, long-distance rail is a “good alternative to both cars and flights”.
“With this new international route from Berlin via Copenhagen to Oslo, we are connecting Northern Europe and three capital cities by train,” he added.
Across Europe, there are several wonderful options for cross-country trains, including the ÖBB Nightjet, which offers connections from Paris to Vienna, Salzburg and Munich and onto the Italian Riviera, with regular seats from about €30 (£25) one-way.
The European Sleeper means in less than 12 hours, you can go from Brussels to Berlin, while the Swedish operator SJ’s EuroNight service can take passengers from Hamburg to Copenhagen and Stockholm. During the summer months, you can also connect from Berlin.
