Flixtrain plans hourly Berlin-Hamburg service for 2027 and orders 65 Talgo trains

Route expansion and hourly schedule

Private rail operator Flixtrain plans to introduce hourly train connections between Berlin and Hamburg over the course of 2027. Flixtrain managing director Matthias Müller announced the scheduling expansion on Wednesday at the InnoTrans transport trade fair in Berlin. The company stated that travel times along the Hamburg to Berlin corridor will be shorter than those of Deutsche Bahn Intercity Express (ICE) services. To support higher service frequencies across key domestic routes, parent company Flix will invest approximately 2.4 billion euros into fleet development. The operator currently runs 16 trains across Germany and intends to double this fleet size by 2028 using refurbished carriages before adding 65 newly built high-speed trains from 2028 onward.

Rolling stock and interior specifications

Flixtrain has ordered 65 high-speed trainsets from Spanish train builder Talgo, which manufactures the rolling stock in the Basque Country. Flix presented the first finished carriage of its new vehicle generation, named Flixtrain Star, on outdoor track 2 during the InnoTrans exhibition. Capable of maximum operational speeds of 230 km/h, the new carriages feature bright green headrests, functional lighting, and overhead luggage storage. Although the trains will not include a dedicated on-board bistro or dining car, passengers will have access to automated vending machines for refreshments.

Flixtrain stands for affordable prices. But we understand the need for passengers to sometimes get a coffee or a snack.

The presentation drew visitor queues on the Berlin exhibition grounds. Flix chief executive André Schwämmlein addressed the company's long-term product planning during the fair.

In ten years, Germany will have forgotten what train travel used to be like.

Strategic rollout and regional connectivity

The company spent ten years planning the fleet upgrade after deciding on its core strategic trajectory 15 years ago. Delivery of the 65 Talgo trainsets will occur gradually starting in 2028, enabling Flixtrain to launch new long-distance services across additional parts of Germany. The planned network expansion includes connecting the Munich metropolitan area to the capital via a new direct Berlin to Munich service. Flix leadership indicated that the new rolling stock will allow the company to serve smaller municipalities and medium-sized regional centres rather than limiting service solely to large metropolitan corridors.

Market competition and regulatory disputes

Flix currently operates as the primary competitor to state-owned Deutsche Bahn in the German long-distance rail sector. Deutsche Bahn continues to dominate long-distance passenger rail travel with a market share of approximately 95%. Competition is projected to broaden further from 2028, when Italian train operating company Italo plans to enter the German long-distance market. To encourage market access, the German Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) revised track allocation regulations, requiring Deutsche Bahn to award at least 25% of track capacity on heavily utilized routes to rival operators. Deutsche Bahn has initiated legal proceedings to challenge the regulatory authority's capacity ruling in court.