New Train Routes Across Europe for 2022

What better way to complement Europe’s gradual return to normal than with a rapidly expanding international rail network for 2022?

Europe’s night trains, once on the brink of disappearance, have made a stunning comeback, led by Austrian carrier ÖBB, with new private companies emerging to provide more choices.

As more day trains are added across Europe, fares are dropping. Italy’s two high-speed networks are introducing increasingly luxurious carriages to draw in passengers, while low-cost, high-speed trains have launched in France and Spain.

So where should you travel by train in 2022? Here’s a roundup of the newly opened routes across Europe and the exciting ones still to come later in the year.

NOW OPERATING

Vienna to Paris

Amsterdam to Zurich

This new Nightjet sleeper route, launched in December 2021, connects Amsterdam and Zurich. It stops at several German stations including Cologne, Bonn, and Frankfurt Airport before crossing into Switzerland at Basel. The entire journey takes just under 12 hours, reaching Zurich just after 8 a.m. and Amsterdam after 9 a.m. for the reverse route.

Genoa to Naples

Although Genoa is Italy’s sixth-largest city, its connections to the rest of the country have been limited. To reach the capital, travelers had to either take a slower train down the west coast or travel northeast to Milan and change to a high-speed train south. That was until Italo, the high-speed rail competitor to state-run Trenitalia, launched a direct route from Genoa to Naples. While it still passes through Milan, the train then continues nonstop to Rome and Naples, cutting the total journey time by 80 minutes to just six hours and 45 minutes.

Brussels to Prague

A major European adventure kicks off in the summer of 2022. The European Sleeper night train will embark on a journey across the continent after dark, departing from Brussels at dinner time and traveling through key cities such as Amsterdam, Hannover, and Berlin, before reaching Prague just in time for a late breakfast around 10:30 a.m. The train will run three times a week, with tickets available for purchase starting in the spring. The service is a collaboration between Dutch and Belgian companies, working alongside Czech operator RegioJet, and the company has plans to launch a Brussels-Warsaw route in 2023.

Madrid – Barcelona

High-speed rail often comes with a premium price tag, but not on Spain’s immensely popular Madrid-Barcelona route, which now offers two low-cost, high-speed options. Ouigo, a subsidiary of France’s SNCF, launched its service in May 2021, followed by Avlo, part of Spain’s Renfe, in June. Since September, Ouigo trains have been making stops in the lively cities of Zaragoza and Tarragona, while some Avlo services continue on to Figueres.

Paris to Milan

Italy's chic Frecciarossa, the country’s premier high-speed train, launched a new service between Milan and Paris in December 2021. While the route itself isn’t new – French TGVs have long connected the two cities – the Frecciarossa offers a more glamorous experience, especially in its Executive class, where the plush armchairs are more akin to those found on private jets. The route, which travels through Turin, Chambery, and Lyon, also shaves 20 minutes off the usual TGV journey time.

London to Edinburgh

Cuneo to Nice

The journey from Cuneo, nestled in the mountains of Piedmont, down to Nice on the French Riviera, is so breathtaking that in 2021, Italy's FAI (Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano) designated it as one of the country's most treasured landscapes. Spanning 60 miles and descending 1,000 meters (3,280 feet), this awe-inspiring ride crosses mountain ranges, viaducts, and the Mediterranean coast, weaving between Italy and France. It's no surprise that it's known as the 'Ferrovia delle meraviglie' – the railway of marvels. After being closed for repairs since October 2020, the line reopened fully on December 21, 2021.

Ancona to Fabriano

Italy has a remarkable selection of 'tourist trains,' and this one, launched in September 2021, stands out for its scenic route. Starting in Ancona on the coast, the journey climbs into the Apennine mountains, offering sweeping views of the Marche region. Traveling on a historic 19th-century single-track line, it’s powered by a vintage diesel locomotive and stops at Fabriano, Sassoferrato, and Pergola, before looping back through the Cesano valley.

Ljubljana to Graz

ÖBB's new Ljubljana-Budapest route, launched in December 2021, offers a direct connection between Ljubljana and Graz. Although the journey through Austria isn't the quickest, it provides a convenient link to Graz in just 3 hours and 17 minutes, with departures from Ljubljana around 4 p.m.

Vienna to Frankfurt

One of ÖBB's December 2021 launches, this Railjet train extends the Vienna-Innsbruck route to Frankfurt, previously ending at Bregenz. You can also reach this route via an Intercity Express (ICE) on ÖBB.

Palermo to Messina

Until recently, high-speed trains took you from the northern tip of Italy all the way to Lamezia Terme in the south. But now, Sicily has its first high-speed rail service, launched in November 2021. This route connects Palermo to Catania, cutting through central Sicily’s less-explored regions like Caltanissetta and Enna, before reaching the coast at Catania and continuing on to Messina. Though the journey currently takes around three hours, it's expected to be reduced to two hours and 15 minutes in two years. The sleek Frecciabianca trains are a huge step up from the slower regional options that previously served central Sicily.

Vienna to Cluj-Napoca

This nearly 11-hour journey, which began in December 2021, takes you through Austria, Hungary, and Romania, passing close to the Slovakian border and following the path of the Danube River. It makes a stop in Budapest before crossing into Romania just before Oradea. Cluj-Napoca, known as the unofficial capital of Transylvania, is famous for its cobblestone streets, medieval architecture, and vibrant nightlife. The nearby Turda salt mine, with its cathedral-like interior, and the reportedly haunted Hoia Baciu forest, are major attractions. It is also the perfect gateway to the stunning Transylvanian countryside.

COMING SOON

Graz to Warsaw

A new night train connecting Graz to Warsaw is set to launch in June 2022. This service will stop in Krakow before reaching the Polish capital. A collaboration between PKP (Polish Railways) and Austrian ÖBB, the train will use PKP’s rolling stock. The train will depart Graz at dinnertime, make a stop in Ostrava (Czech Republic), cross into Poland at Chałupki, pass through Krakow at 6 a.m., and arrive in Warsaw just before 9 a.m.

Paris to Lyon

Graz to Berlin

In June 2022, ÖBB will introduce a NightJet service from Graz to Berlin, which is essentially an extension of the existing Vienna-Berlin route.

Stockholm to Hamburg

Sweden, home to Europe's 'flight shame' movement, will see a new night train from Stockholm to Hamburg. The EuroNight service, launching in the second half of 2022, will depart Stockholm in the evening, stop in Copenhagen, and arrive in Hamburg before 7 a.m. The reverse journey will depart approximately three hours later.

Zurich to Rome

Another NightJet venture, this is set to launch in December 2022.

Daytime international routes are also expanding. The Railjet service connecting Vienna, Innsbruck, and Bregenz will now extend to Frankfurt, while new trains between Graz and Budapest are under development by ÖBB.

Prague to Lviv

RegioJet had planned to launch a night train service between Prague and Lviv this year, initially delayed from 2021. However, due to the ongoing situation in Ukraine, the launch is expected to be further delayed.

Top image courtesy of Fondazione FS