A new direct train service connecting Oslo and Berlin is set to launch in 2028, marking the first time in over 20 years that the two capitals will be linked by rail without requiring a change of trains. The service is the result of a collaboration between Norway's Vy, Denmark's DSB, and Germany's Deutsche Bahn.
The route will be operated by Deutsche Bahn's ICE L trains, travelling via Hamburg, Copenhagen, Malmö, and Gothenburg. Stops include Moss, Fredrikstad, Sarpsborg, Halden, Trollhättan, Gothenburg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Lund, Malmö, Copenhagen Airport, and Copenhagen H, before continuing to Odense, Kolding, Padborg, and Hamburg, and finally arriving in Berlin.
According to Vy, the journey from Oslo to Copenhagen will take approximately seven hours, while the full Oslo to Berlin trip will take around 15 hours. The trains will feature a restaurant car and a family section. Round-trip services are planned to run twice daily from summer 2028, with departure times and ticket prices to be announced closer to the launch.
Gro Bakstad, CEO of Vy, said: 'It is fantastic that we are now getting a new, fixed train route in place between Oslo, Copenhagen, Hamburg and Berlin. The collaboration with DSB and Deutsche Bahn means that we will be able to connect Norway more closely to Europe, and in the long term, this could open up direct trains to more European cities.'
Michael Peterson, CEO of DB Fernverkehr, added: 'If you want to experience Europe, jump on the train! With high fuel prices, long-distance trains are a good alternative to cars and planes. With the new, international route from Berlin via Copenhagen to Oslo, we are connecting Northern Europe and three capitals by train.'
