European railway transport is experiencing a renaissance due to the high demand for travel and the rising cost of air travel. For instance, a round trip between Paris and Geneva in late January starts at 63 euros, including baggage, whereas the cheapest round-trip airfare without baggage would be 148 euros. Here’s a peek at some of the most exciting train routes that you should give serious consideration to taking in 2024.
New Train Routes 2024
Brussels-Prague
The first notable railway debut in 2024 will be the Brussels-Prague route, launching on March 25, 2024, by European Sleeper. This route is an extension of the Brussels-Berlin line. The journey from the capital of Belgium to the capital of the Czech Republic is expected to take approximately 15 hours, with planned stops in Antwerp, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Dresden before arriving in Prague. Tickets start from 69 euros.
Additionally, European Sleeper plans to increase the frequency of Brussels-Berlin routes to once daily (currently operating three times a week). In 2025, the company also intends to launch a route from Amsterdam to Barcelona.
Paris-Berlin
In December 2023, a new night train connecting Paris and Berlin was introduced by NightJet, a subsidiary of the Austrian ÖBB. Trains depart from Paris’s Gare de l’Est at 19:12, stopping in Strasbourg, Frankfurt, Erfurt, and Berlin-Zydkroitz, before arriving at Berlin’s main station at 8:26 am. The return journey departs at 20:18 and arrives in Paris at 10:24 the next day. The train runs thrice a week and plans to operate daily from October 2024. Tickets start from 50 euros.
Munich-Warsaw
In 2024, ÖBB will connect Munich and Warsaw with a route passing through Rosenheim in Germany, Salzburg, Linz, Vienna in Austria, and Krakow in Poland. The exact launch date for the new route is yet to be announced.
Venice-Ljubljana
Despite sharing a border, Italy and Slovenia have not been directly connected by train so far. However, this situation will change in the spring. Italian railway operator Trenitalia tested a route between Venice and Ljubljana in December, with successful results. The launch of the high-speed Frecciarossa train is planned for April 2024. Discussions are also underway for a railway connection between Milan and Ljubljana. Tickets are not yet available.
Paris-Barcelona
By the end of 2024, Trenitalia also plans to launch a high-speed railway connecting Paris and Barcelona. This new train will allow travelers to reach Catalonia from France in less than seven hours.
Berlin-Malmö
Swedish railway company Snälltåget changed the route of its train from Berlin to Malmö in late 2023, now passing through Hamburg and Denmark, and extending it to Stockholm. The journey from Germany to Sweden takes just under 17 hours, with a fare of around 50 euros.
Bratislava-Brussels
Czech Leo Express already operates train routes connecting Prague with Krakow, Bratislava, and several other cities. The company has applied to launch a daily service between Bratislava and Brussels, which could begin as early as the end of 2024.
Paris-Portofino
While Europe has many exciting new trains, none are as glamorous and legendary as the Orient Express. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express company adds even more exclusivity to this project: on June 20, it launches a luxurious train from Paris to Portofino. It will run only once a year.
The train from Paris will traverse the countryside of France to the Mediterranean coast, passing through Cannes, Nice, and Monaco, before crossing Italy via Ventimiglia, Savona, and Genoa, concluding the route in Santa Margherita Ligure. Out of the three nights of the journey, passengers will spend only one night on the train; the other two nights will be at the five-star Splendido Hotel, offering views of Portofino Bay. Of course, such a tour will not be cheap, with the cost starting from 7,810 euros for two.
The concept of the Orient Express is the basis for the premium train Orient Express La Dolce Vita, which will operate in Italy during the summer of 2024.
