Although it is hard to believe, it has been nine years since there has been a direct train between Paris and Berlin, but this deficiency will be “fixed” with the launch in December of a night train, which will be operated by Austrians from OBB. which have launched many long-distance night trains in recent years.

The OBB Nightjet Paris-Berlin night train will stop in Strasbourg, Mannheim, Erfurt and Halle, depart from Paris with 12 carriages, and in Mannheim six carriages will be detached to Vienna and six will arrive in Berlin. In 2022, OBB also launched a direct train between Paris and Vienna.

Since 2014, there is no longer a direct Paris-Berlin train, but when there was, it took about 11-12 hours, because it is a night train, not a high-speed train, and it ran at an average speed of 80-90 km/h.

From the end of 2024 there will also be a high-speed connection between the two capitals, but the train will not pass through Strasbourg and will NOT be operated by OBB, but negotiations are underway between SNCF and Deutsche Bahn.

The new Paris-Berlin night train will initially run three times a week, and from October 2024 it will run daily.

Currently, those looking to travel by train from Paris to Berlin have to make between one and three changes, depending on the route chosen, and the journey takes just under nine hours, but costs between €110 and over €200.

Austrian night trains are hugely popular with all types of carriages, from regular 2nd class seats to luxury cabins where you can travel alone and have a sink, toilet and shower in the cabin.

From Paris to Vienna, the distance is more than 1000 km, the cheapest ticket costs 30 euros, and the most expensive ticket in the luxury cabin is 370 euros.

Sources: AFP, Guardian, Le Monde