Italian railway company Italo plans to land in Germany in 2028 with long-distance trains. It will cover routes such as Munich-Frankfurt-Cologne-Dortmund and Munich-Berlin-Hamburg. The CEO of Deutsche Bahn warns that this could lead to uncontrolled competition, benefiting only the main routes while neglecting connections in less profitable areas.
High speed and Italian technology on German rails 🚄
Italo operates Alstom AGV and ETR1000 trains capable of reaching 300 km/h. In Germany, the high-speed infrastructure is partially developed, limiting potential on sections like Frankfurt-Cologne. Technical interoperability will be key, as German signaling and electrification systems require adaptations. The Italian company plans to use its dynamic pricing model to compete, but will depend on slot allocation by DB Netz.
DB gets nervous: fewer trains in the village, more money in the city 🚲
While Italo prepares to connect major cities, passengers from Oberammergau and other villages lost in the Black Forest can start getting their bikes ready. DB is crying foul over uncontrolled competition, but perhaps it should worry more about its own delays. In the end, everyone wins: travelers from Munich to Berlin will have wifi and coffee, and those in the countryside will have more time to read at bus stops.