Paris to Berlin by train

There are no direct daytime trains from Paris to Berlin

When taking the train from Paris to Berlin there is a choice of routes, you can either

(1) take this route - departing from the Gare Du Nord and travelling via Koln/Cologne, OR
(2) take an alternative route; departing from the Gare de l'Est and travelling via Frankfurt (Main)

There is little difference in journey times and neither route is particular scenic compared to the other; and both routes involve extensive travel on high speed lines on state of the art trains.

So the deciding factor as to which route to take is likely to be price. as explained in the 'Ticket Information' below.

Book in advance and save: Yes

Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date

The alternative route via Frankfurt tends to be the cheaper, because the German national rail operator, DB, offers its discounted ‘Europa-Spezial’ tickets on that route, but they’re not available when travelling via Koln/Cologne.
Though the prices of both routes can be compared on the Trainline website.

On this routing it's worth checking whether you can save money by booking separate tickets for the Paris to Koln/Cologne and Koln/Cologne to Berlin journeys.

Though be aware that if you do so, and the Thalys train from Paris arrives too late in Koln for you to make the fastest connection (of between 30 and 35 mins) into the train on to Berlin; you will then probably have to book a new ticket in Koln for the journey on to Berlin.
However, an option is to book the separate tickets, but then take a later train on from Koln to allow more than 1hr 30mins to make the connection at Koln Hbf station.

If you DO want to book the end-2-end journey on SNCF Connect look for the journeys that have 2 corresp. THALYS ICE' in the journey summary.
And if you book an end-2-end ticket from Paris to Berlin, in the event of the train arriving too late in Koln to make the connection on to Berlin, your tickets/reservations can be transferred to the next departure.

Rail Pass Users:

If you will be travelling with a Eurail or InterRail pass valid in both France and Germany, you will save money if you travel on the alternative route via [Frankfurt (Main) because the rail pass reservation fees are more expensive on the Paris – Koln Thalys trains.

This journey, which usually involves departing Paris at 10:55, has been singled out because it allows more than 30mins in Karlsruhe to make the connection between trains.

So making the connection is less of a gamble than making the more tightly timed connections on the alternative options, which involve departing from the Gare de l'Est and changing trains in Frankfurt or Mannheim.

However, when making connections in Germany with an end-2-end ticket(s) , it/they can be always be transferred free of charge to a later departure, in the event of a train running late.

Keep that in mind as this journey option via Karlsruhe tends to be more expensive than making the connection between trains in Frankfurt or Mannheim.

Book in advance and save: Yes

Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date

This particular journey option, which departs Paris at 10:55, tend to be more expensive than making connections in Frankfurt (Main) or Mannheim

It has been singled out because it allows more than 30 mins to make the connection between trains (similar to the connecting times between trains on the alternative route via Koln/Cologne).
The greater the connecting time between trains, the greater the chance of having a stress-free journey, when taking a train from Paris to Berlin.

If you book with DB Bahn two of these connections involve changing trains in Mannheim and not Frankfurt (Main).

However, if you will be booking end-2-end tickets then the slight issue with this route, is that you will only have less mins to make any of the optimum connections required in either Mannheim or Frankfurt (Main).
Delays of more than 10 mins are not unknown on these trains from Paris.

Though if you do miss the booked connection in Mannheim or Frankfurt (Main) due to late running, then tickets/reservations can be transferred free of charge to a later departure on to Berlin.
Though be aware that there are more frequent trains between Frankfurt (Main) and Berlin, than between Mannheim and Berlin.

Book in advance and save: Yes

Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date

When travelling from by day Paris to Berlin by train you can either take an alternative route via Koln/Cologne or travel on this route via Frankfurt (Main)

This route tends to be the cheaper of the two; the German national rail operator, DB, offers its discounted ‘Europa-Spezial’ tickets on this route, but they’re not available when travelling via Koln/Cologne.

When looking at journeys on DB Bahn this routing has a '1' in the chg. column and 'ICE' or 'TGV, ICE' in the Product column.

Though both routes can be compared on the Trainline website.

Rail Pass Users:

If you will be making this journey with a valid InterRail or Eurail Pass, the route via Koln is more expensive, as the rail pass reservation fees are more expensive on the Paris – Koln Thalys trains.

Reservations when using rail passes:

If you have a rail pass the best option is to book the reservation on a DB-SNCF train from Paris to Frankfurt (Main) – you’ll need to do this before you board this train

And then on arrival in Frankfurt (Main) you can either:

(1) hop on the next ICE train to Berlin – and hope that can find spare seats on the train (it’s more likely that you will, than you won’t).

(2) Use a DB ticket machine or stop by the Reisezentrum travel desk at Frankfurt (Main) and book reservations on the next ICE to Berlin

(3) Book the reservations on the Frankfurt to Berlin ICE before you leave Paris; and then IF you miss the connection you are booked on to, because the train from Paris is delayed, you can then transfer your reservation to the next ICE train, free of charge at the Reisezentrum travel desk.