Flixtrain to launch hourly Berlin-Hamburg service and expand fleet by 2028

Flixtrain revealed at the Innotrans exhibition that it will begin hourly train services between Berlin and Hamburg in 2027, promising shorter journey times than the incumbent ICE trains. The company plans to expand its current 16-train fleet to about double that number by 2028, incorporating upgraded refurbished units and, subsequently, a batch of 65 newly ordered high-speed Talgo coaches. Flixtrain’s CEO Matthias Müller highlighted the goal of offering more frequent and faster connections, while group chief André Schwämmlein said the expansion will also link smaller cities, including a future Munich-Berlin route.

The rollout is backed by an investment of roughly €2.4 billion. Meanwhile, Italian competitor Italo is preparing to enter the German market, and the Federal Network Agency has revised track-allocation rules, requiring Deutsche Bahn to allocate at least a quarter of capacity on busy lines to rivals.