Planning a trip around Germany by train but don’t know where to start? Check out our rail map of Germany – we've highlighted some of the most popular routes in Germany and from France, Austria, and the Netherlands to Germany for you.
If you're planning a trip around Germany by train, you'll most likely take one of Deutsche Bahn's services, which connect the major cities in Germany. For example, you can get from Munich to Berlin in 4h 2m, Berlin to Hamburg in 1h 44m, and Frankfurt to Munich in 3h 11m.
If you want to travel to Germany from a neighbouring country, you can choose from a wide range of cross-border trains, including the following:
As an example of how quickly you can travel from another country to Germany by train, an ÖBB service from Munich to Salzburg could take as little as an hour and a half.
Want to know a bit more about some of the most popular train routes in Germany? Check out our table below and click on the route you’re most interested in – you’ll find plenty of information, including journey times, ticket prices and some useful FAQs. At Trainline, we connect directly to Deutsche Bahn, Eurostar, DB-SNCF and ÖBB's ticket inventory, so your train ticket will always be valid for travel if you book online with us.
Route | Distance | Fastest journey |
---|---|---|
Frankfurt main hbf to Cologne hb | 95 miles (152 km) | 1h 4m |
Hamburg to Hannover | 83 miles (133 km) | 1h 15m |
Nuremberg to Frankfurt | 117 miles (189 km) | 2h 4m |
Leipzig to Berlin | 92 miles (148 km) | 1h 12m |
Prague to Munich | 187 miles (302 km) | 5h 38m |
Dresden to Berlin | 103 miles (166 km) | 1h 50m |
Paris to Cologne hbf | 251 miles (404 km) | 3h 22m |
Bremen to Hamburg | 58 miles (94 km) | 53m |
Berlin to Frankfurt | 263 miles (424 km) | 3h 53m |
Amsterdam to Berlin | 357 miles (575 km) | 6h 4m |
If you’re planning on travelling from Germany to France, the Netherlands or any other European country, why not get a Rail Pass – it can be a cost-effective way to travel cross-country by rail. There are two types of Rail Passes which cover train travel in Germany and Europe:
Looking for ideas for your next trip to Germany? You’ve come to the right place! Our Germany Travel Inspiration hub is full of handy guides to help you plan the perfect German holiday.
Want to explore another European country but not sure about the trains you can take? Click on one of the country guides below – we’ll provide you with all the information you need about train and ticket types, discounts and destinations. If you’re travelling to Spain, Switzerland, France, Italy or Belgium, have a look at our Spain Rail map, Switzerland train map, France train map, Italy train map and Belgium train map pages, or for a general overview of the European rail network, head to our Europe train map page.
Our Germany rail map highlights the main intercity railway lines in Germany, as well as the main rail connections to its neighbouring countries, including France, the Netherlands and Austria.
Deutsche Bahn is the main train operator in Germany. There are also a number of other companies (Eurostar, DB-SNCF and ÖBB) that run cross-border services in and out of the country as well.
The fastest train in Germany is the InterCity Express (or ICE), which can reach speeds of up to 186mph (300 km/h).