A single train from the Spree to the Bay of Naples, crossing Germany, Austria and Italy without a change. That is the plan behind the new high-speed link between Berlin and Naples, a route of roughly 1,600 to 1,700 km that would be one of the longest direct daytime train rides in Europe. Videos about it are going viral with the headline "open in 2027", so here is what is actually planned, when, and how to make the most of the stop you can already explore on Around the Metro: Rome.
Who runs it and what train it uses
The service is a partnership between Italy's Trenitalia, Germany's Deutsche Bahn and Austria's ÖBB. It will use Trenitalia's Frecciarossa 1000, the red high-speed train that already links Italy's big cities at up to 300 km/h, adapted to run on German and Austrian tracks for the first time. All the trains cross the Alps over the Brenner Pass between Innsbruck and Bolzano.
Is it really opening in 2027?
Partly. The network is being rolled out in stages, and the full Berlin to Naples train is the last piece:
- December 2026: the first direct trains, Munich to Milan (about 6.5 hours) and Munich to Rome (about 8.5 hours), as long as the adapted trains receive their approvals in time.
- 2027: the timetable requests filed with the Austrian regulator show a Milan to Berlin train from June 2027 and a Naples to Munich train from December 2027.
- 2028: the direct Berlin to Naples train. The timetable requests point to June 2028, while the operators' joint announcement talks about extending services to Berlin and Naples from December 2028.
So 2027 is the year Berlin gets its first direct high-speed train to Italy, but the through train all the way to Naples is planned for 2028. Dates for cross-border rail projects often move, so check Trenitalia, DB or ÖBB before you plan a trip around them.
The route and every major stop
Heading south, the train is expected to call at Berlin Hbf, Halle, Erfurt, Nuremberg and Munich in Germany, then Innsbruck in Austria, before crossing into Italy at the Brenner. In Italy the line runs through Bolzano, Trento and Rovereto to Verona, where the Milan branch splits off via Brescia, and then down the high-speed line through Bologna and Florence to Rome and finally Naples. Not every train will stop at every station.
The whole journey is estimated at around 15 to 16 hours, which means an early morning departure and a late evening arrival. Few people will ride end to end. The real value is the long list of new direct pairs: Munich to Florence, Innsbruck to Rome, Verona to Berlin, Bologna to Munich, all with one ticket and no change.
Arriving in Rome: start at Termini
Trains on this line arrive at Roma Termini, the city's main station and the one place where Rome's two main metro lines meet. From the platforms you can walk straight down to Termini metro station for Line A and Line B.
If you only have an hour between trains, you do not need the metro at all:
- National Roman Museum at Palazzo Massimo, right across the square, holds some of the finest ancient frescoes and mosaics in Rome. Read our National Roman Museum guide.
- Santa Maria Maggiore, five to ten minutes on foot, with its 5th-century mosaics and gilded ceiling. See the Santa Maria Maggiore guide.
Two stops to the classics on Line B
Ride Line B two stops to Colosseo and you come up facing the Colosseum. Next door are the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill and, a short walk up the hill, the Capitoline Museums. On the way back towards Termini, get off at Cavour for Monti, the old quarter of wine bars and trattorias. Our Colosseum tickets and metro guide covers timed entry.
Fountains, steps and the Vatican on Line A
Line A from Termini takes you to Barberini for the Trevi Fountain, then Spagna for the Spanish Steps, luxury shopping on Via dei Condotti, coffee at Antico Caffè Greco and gelato at Giolitti near the Pantheon. Stay on to Ottaviano for the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Basilica.
The other cities on the line
Berlin, Munich, Milan, Florence and Naples all have metro or underground networks of their own, and we are working on adding more cities on this route to Around the Metro. For now, start with our full Rome metro guide and browse every Rome stop on the stations list.