As of Dec. 16, 2024, Paris and Berlin are linked by a direct high-speed practice for the primary time. Although the brand new eight-hour rail service is not precisely speedy, the launch is a part of a push inside Europe to scale back short-haul flights in favor of extra eco-friendly practice choices.
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The route and schedule
The Deutsche Bahn Intercity Specific trains are operated by the German nationwide rail operator and its French counterpart SNCF. After leaving Berlin Hauptbahnhof, the practice stops in Frankfurt and Karlsruhe, Germany, in addition to Strasbourg, France, earlier than reaching its vacation spot at Paris Gare de l’Est.
With each day departures in every route, the westbound practice leaves Berlin at 11:54 a.m. and arrives in Paris at 7:55 p.m. The eastbound service departs Paris at 9:55 a.m. and arrives in Berlin at 6:03 p.m. One-way tickets begin at 59 euros (about $61) for second class and 69 euros (about $71) for first-class. Tickets could be bought prematurely through Deutsche Bahn or the SNCF website.
Till now, the one direct service between the 2 capitals has been the OBB Nightjet overnight train, which takes about 13 hours and solely has three weekly departures. The previous daytime service included a connection and took between 9 and 10 1/2 hours.
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Environmental advantages
After all, the flight between the 2 cities is the quickest mode of transit, at only one hour and 45 minutes. (And price range airline fares are sometimes as little as $40.) However the practice is a part of a push to supply extra eco-friendly options to short-haul flights inside Europe.
“This creation of a connection contributes to a standard goal of our two nations: to advertise carbon-free mobility,” managing director of TGV-Intercites Alain Krakovitch posted on X in September following the announcement of the brand new service.
In accordance with the SNCF train group, 2 kilograms of carbon dioxide is emitted by practice between Paris and Berlin per passenger versus 200 kilograms by air per passenger.
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Backside line
Although the brand new Paris-Berlin direct high-speed practice takes about six hours longer than flying between the 2 European cities and may value about the identical, this practice route could also be for you if you wish to cut back your carbon emissions in 2025.
When you issue within the roughly hourlong commute between town middle and the airport on every finish (plus attending to the airport early to get via safety), you are still solely saving just a few hours by flying.
Once you add the scenic views of the vineyards of France’s Champagne area and the Rhine Valley in western Germany, the gradual journey seems to be much more interesting.
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