Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) has initiated test runs of Trenitalia’s Frecciarossa trains in Germany and Austria, marking the international certification phase for new high-speed rail connections planned to link Rome and Milan with Munich. The project is undertaken in partnership with Germany’s Deutsche Bahn and Austria’s ÖBB to adapt trains to varying rail power supplies and signalling systems.
Routes, Stops, and Journey Times
The new Milan-Munich service will cover Brescia, Verona, Rovereto, Trento, Bolzano, and Innsbruck, with an estimated journey time of about six and a half hours. The Rome-Munich route will include stops at Florence, Bologna, Verona, Rovereto, Trento, Bolzano, and Innsbruck, taking roughly
eight and a half hours. Both routes will be operated with four daily connections.
Service Launch and Expansion Plans
The commercial launch of the Milan-Munich and Rome-Munich services is scheduled for summer 2027, contingent on successful train approvals. Following the December 2028 opening of the Brenner Base Tunnel, journey times will be reduced by approximately one hour, and the number of daily connections between Italy and Germany will increase to ten, with routes later extended to Naples and Berlin.
Official Statements on European Rail Integration
Gianpiero Strisciuglio, CEO of FS, said the test runs in Germany and Austria “confirm our ambition to make the train the benchmark mode of transport for
mobility across Europe.” He highlighted the collaboration with Deutsche Bahn and ÖBB as a step towards creating a High-Speed ‘European Metro’ connecting regions, people, and economies. Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini praised the milestone, underlining it as evidence of FS Group’s growth and ability to expand into new markets abroad while improving rail infrastructure in Italy.
Technical Collaboration and International Expansion
The agreement between Trenitalia and Deutsche Bahn facilitates sharing technical expertise to ensure train compatibility with different national power supplies and signalling systems, accelerating certification processes and controlling costs. Training programs for German and Austrian driving personnel have started alongside prototype construction.
This initiative follows FS Group’s earlier expansions into France and Spain and supports plans to reach the United Kingdom by 2029, advancing integration within the European rail network.
