Italo to launch high‑speed rail services in Germany, challenging Deutsche Bahn

The Italian high‑speed operator Italo plans to begin German operations in spring 2028 after a Federal Network Agency ruling obliges DB InfraGo to allocate 25‑40 % of heavily used tracks to competitors. Italo will run two routes: an hourly service from Munich through Frankfurt, Cologne and Dortmund, and a two‑hour service from Munich via Berlin to Hamburg, deploying 30 new high‑speed trains and offering 56 daily connections.

Flixtrain CEO André Schwämmlein says Italo’s entry will mainly hurt Deutsche Bahn rather than Flix, noting that Flix has ordered 65 Talgo trains for 2028 and aims to launch a high‑speed network that rivals the national carrier. Deutsche Bahn’s infrastructure arm and rail unions have expressed concern that additional operators could strain already congested lines and exacerbate capacity problems. Prices for Italo tickets have not been disclosed, but the regulator expects increased competition to lower fares.

The move marks the first expansion of Italo outside Italy and is expected to add millions of passengers to German rail traffic, while intensifying competition among private and state‑run operators.