Operated jointly by Norway’s Vy, Denmark’s DSB, and Germany’s Deutsche Bahn, the 14- to 15-hour journey will use the new ICE L trains, marking the first direct rail link between Norway and Denmark in over 20 years. A direct train from Oslo to Berlin is scheduled to launch in summer 2028.
The new service will run year-round, with two departures a day between Oslo and Berlin, with stops (in north-to-south order) in Moss, Fredrikstad, Sarpsborg, Halden, Trollhättan, Gothenburg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Lund, Malmo, Copenhagen airport and Copenhagen H, Odense, Kolding, Padborg, Hamburg, and Berlin.
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Related: New Direct Train Malmö–Oslo
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‘It is great that we can now introduce a new, regular rail service between Oslo, Copenhagen, Hamburg, and Berlin. Working with DSB and Deutsche Bahn allows us to connect Norway more closely to Europe, and over time this could open direct train services to even more European cities,’ says Gro Bakstad, CEO of Vy.
Until this route launches, no direct trains are available. The current alternative is to book a multi-leg journey with several transfers:
Oslo to Gothenburg: Vy regional train.
Gothenburg to Malmö: Öresundståg or SJ train.
Malmö to Copenhagen / Hamburg / Berlin: SJ trains connecting to EuroCity or ICE trains via DSB/Deutsche Bahn.
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Crossing four countries, from Norway to Sweden, Denmark, and Germany, the full journey is expected to take between 14 and 15 hours, but it will be cut by an hour and a half when the new Fehmarn Belt tunnel between Germany and Denmark opens. That’s set for 2029 at the earliest, though it’s more likely to be sometime in 2031, meaning the train service, which is slated to launch in 2028, could operate for up to three years with the longer duration. Ahead of that, a shorter version of the trip between Hamburg and Copenhagen will start as soon as winter 2027.
‘We are proud that, together with Vy and DB, we will soon be able to offer one of the longest train routes in Europe. This is not something we can achieve on our own – strong rail connections in Europe depend on strong partnerships between railway companies,’ says Michael Peterson, CEO of DB Fernverkehr, Deutsche Bahn’s long-distance division. He also looks forward to the launch:
‘If you want to experience Europe, take the train. With high fuel prices, long-distance rail is a good alternative to both cars and flights. With this new international route from Berlin via Copenhagen to Oslo, we are connecting Northern Europe and three capital cities by rail.’
A Direct Train From Oslo to Berlin is Scheduled to Launch in Summer 2028, Tor Kjolberg reporting.
Feature image (top) © Vy.