Germany’s Cheapest Intercity Train Is Doubling Down for 2027

German open-access operator FlixTrain says it will double passenger capacity and raise weekly departures by 20 percent in the timetable that starts December 13, 2026. Tickets for the new schedule went on sale October 14. The expansion focuses on routes in and out of Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne.

Hamburg to Berlin rises from up to 14 daily services to 20, with hourly departures on peak days and a fastest trip of 1 hour 50 minutes. Cologne to Berlin goes from 6 to 16 departures a day, and Cologne to Hamburg from 4 to 10. Düsseldorf, Essen and Duisburg to Berlin also rise from 6 to 16.

Two other corridors change. Frankfurt to Berlin gets up to six daily departures, with two-hourly service at peak times, and Bremen to Berlin becomes a new direct service with up to ten daily departures.

FlixTrain is also adding trains to its COMFORT product, which includes air conditioning, extra legroom, open-plan and compartment seating, and guaranteed seat reservations at no extra charge. Hamburg to Cologne already runs entirely with COMFORT trains. The growth lands alongside Deutsche Bahn’s own 2027 expansion, giving German rail passengers more choice.

Sources: RailMarket, The Local Germany