Italian private rail operator Italo Holding signed a contract in Munich with Siemens Mobility for 26 Velaro high-speed trains along with 30 years of maintenance. From mid-2028, Italo plans to disrupt DB long-distance services on two routes with 50 daily connections and 18 stops.
Quick overview
This news is primarily relevant for rail travelers because it can have concrete effects on planning, connections, or infrastructure. The focus is on Italo, Deutschebahn, Siemensmobility, Fernverkehr, Ice, Bundesnetzagentur, Flixtrain, Velaro, Muenchen, Berlin, Hamburg, Koeln, Dortmund, and Hochgeschwindigkeitszug. The key points are summarized compactly below.
Key points
- Italo Holding and Siemens Mobility have finalized the purchase of 26 Velaro high-speed trains plus 30 years of maintenance in Munich; option for 14 additional trains.
- From mid-2028, Italo is to operate the routes Munich–Cologne–Dortmund (via Frankfurt) and Munich–Berlin–Hamburg – with 50 daily connections and stops in 18 cities.
- The trains will be built at the Siemens plant in Krefeld-Uerdingen, offer 440 seats in eight cars, up to 320 km/h, three classes, and 5G/Starlink internet.
- Italo is investing 3.6 billion euros and plans around 2,500 new jobs; maintenance will take place at the Siemens Mobility depot in Dortmund.
- The Bundesnetzagentur has also decided that DB InfraGo may in future allocate a maximum of only 60 to 75 percent of a route’s paths to a single company – Flixtrain also wants to enter long-distance services from 2028 with 30 Talgo trains.
What this means for travelers
For travelers, it’s worth taking a close look at the timeframe, route, and booking conditions. The key question is whether the news already triggers concrete timetable changes or initially describes a political or strategic development.
Context
With the market entry of Italo and Flixtrain from 2028 and the new path allocation rules from the Bundesnetzagentur, the German long-distance rail market is changing fundamentally. Deutsche Bahn faces tougher competition, possible ICE service cuts in up to 16 mid-sized cities, and an associated political debate.
What to watch now
- Only check concrete timetable or construction notices once travel dates are set.
- Plan international connections with more generous transfer times.
- Monitor source and operator information in case schedules are still preliminary.