Direct express trains from Munich to Milan and Rome to roll in 2026

Travellers between Germany and Italy will be able to take direct high-speed trains from Munich to Milan and Rome, the German railway company Deutsche Bahn (DB) announced on Wednesday.

The route is expected to start in December 2026, assuming approvals pull through on schedule. It would be the first time Italian Frecciarossa trains would be operating in Germany on direct routes via Innsbruck, Austria, DB said during the presentation of the cooperation agreement in Munich.

Initially, there will be one connection per day. Two years later, the service is set to gradually expand to include Berlin and Naples. Eventually, five round trips per day will be offered between Germany, Austria and Italy.

The journey from Munich to Milan will take approximately six and a half hours, while the trip from Munich to Rome will last about eight and a half hours. This will save travellers around 75 minutes compared to the current travel time to Milan, which includes transfers, a DB spokeswoman said.

With the planned opening of the Brenner Base Tunnel, billed as the world’s longest underground railway connection, at the end of 2032, travel times are expected to be reduced by about another hour.

“We are seeing that people increasingly want to travel across borders in an environmentally friendly way by rail,” said Michael Peterson, DB’s board member for long-distance passenger transport. “Our joint project will give further momentum to the booming international long-distance travel market.”