A new high-speed train service connecting Paris and Berlin is set to launch on December 16, 2023, offering an eight-hour journey with tickets starting at €59.99 for second class.

Reservations for this highly anticipated service will open on October 16, with expectations of significant demand from rail enthusiasts.

The service, announced by Deutsche Bahn, the Federal Ministry of Transport, and the Saarland State Chancellery, will operate twice daily.

The introduction of this new service will increase the number of daily connections between France and Germany from 24 to 26.

Travelers can expect the journey to include stops in Strasbourg, Karlsruhe, and Frankfurt, before reaching Berlin.

Intermediate stops will also include Homburg (Saar), Kaiserslautern, Neustadt/Weinstraße, Mannheim, and Darmstadt.

This marks the first daytime high-speed rail connection between the two capitals, enhancing travel options significantly.

SNCF and Deutsche Bahn are highlighting the ecological benefits of train travel, noting that it emits only 2 kg of CO2 per passenger compared to 200 kg for flights.

Michael Peterson from Deutsche Bahn confirmed that this new daytime service will not replace the existing night train service, which will resume in December 2023.

The European Union aims to significantly expand high-speed rail traffic across Europe, targeting a doubling by 2030 and tripling by 2050.

Saarland's Minister-President Anke Rehlinger expressed gratitude for the new connection, urging residents to utilize it to demonstrate the need for further services.

The collaboration between SNCF and Deutsche Bahn, which began in 2007, has continually enhanced train services between major cities in France and Germany.