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Italo invests heavily in German high-speed rail
The Italian rail operator Italo is investing 3.6 billion euros in 26 high-speed trains and a new network in Germany starting in 2028.
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The company has signed an agreement with Siemens Mobility to purchase 26 high-speed trains, with an option for a further 14. The trains will have a top speed of 320 kilometres per hour and will operate on Germany’s high-speed rail network from mid-2028.
The investment also includes the recruitment and training of around 2,500 employees, investments in stations and IT infrastructure, as well as a 30-year service and maintenance agreement with Siemens.
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Italo plans to operate two main routes: Munich-Cologne-Dortmund and Munich-Berlin-Hamburg. A total of 18 cities will be connected through a network of approximately 1,300 kilometres with around 50 daily departures. For Swedish rail travellers, the investment could in time mean more travel options via Germany, which is a key market for international rail traffic in Europe.
The investment follows a decision by the German network regulator Bundesnetzagentur to open the country’s long-distance rail market to increased competition. The market has long been dominated by the state-owned Deutsche Bahn.
