From the end of 2026, Trenitalia, in cooperation with Deutsche Bahn and the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), will be setting up four daily journeys between Munich and the cities of Rome and Milan. The new route from Milan to Munich is expected to take around 6.5 hours. The journey time between Rome and Munich is around 8.5 hours.
Travelers benefit from intermediate stops in important cities such as Verona, Innsbruck, Brenner, Bolzano and Trento, which are central stations along the Alpine corridor.
As a national provider of high-speed train services, Trenitalia relies on the Frecciarossa 1000 for these cross-border routes, which is technically designed to cope with the different power and signaling systems in Italy, Austria and Germany.
The European Commission is supporting the project as a pilot project as part of its efforts to improve the interconnection of the European high-speed network and strengthen sustainable mobility.
Outlook: Expansion to Berlin and Naples
A further expansion of the network is planned from December 2028. A total of ten daily connections are planned, including new direct routes between Milan and Berlin or Rome and Munich as well as Naples and Berlin or Munich.
This brings the concept of a "European metropolis in rail transport" into force: a high-speed network that enables east-west connections in Europe without having to change trains.
Frecciarossa is celebrating its entry into the German market with direct connections from Rome and Milan to Munich from the timetable change in December 2026. The journeys will cover important Alpine routes. Berlin and Naples are also to be integrated into the network from 2028. The Frecciarossa 1000 is technically prepared for international journeys and is supported by the EU to promote sustainable mobility.
