Italy’s Frecciarossa high-speed trains are closer to direct services linking Italy, Austria and Germany, with testing under way in Germany and Austria.
Subject to certification, services between Milan and Munich and Rome and Munich are expected to begin in summer 2027.
Services will operate using Trenitalia’s Frecciarossa 1000 high-speed trains.
Further expansion is planned from December 2028, with the network expected to grow to 10 connections between Italy and Germany, including services extending to Berlin and Naples.
Velvet moves closer to French rail launch
French rail start-up Velvet has secured an operating licence from France’s Transport Ministry, moving it closer to launching high-speed passenger services in 2028.
The company plans to operate four non-stop routes from Paris to Bordeaux, Nantes, Angers and Rennes, competing with state-owned SNCF.
Velvet must still obtain a Single Safety Certificate confirming that its safety-management systems meet operational requirements.
