Summaries of how to take direct trains to Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, France, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland and The Netherlands
As Germany is Europe's largest country, it's not unexpected that it has more international train services than any other, but what may surprise is that the express trains to and from Germany are confined to comparatively few routes.
Therefore most of the international express trains from/to Germany follow just one route per border; and this is the case when travelling by express trains between Germany and Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Poland and The Netherlands.
With the two nations sharing a language it's perhaps inevitable that no two European countries have more international long-distance train services between them than Germany and Austria.
Multiple different train services make cross the border between Freilassing and Salzburg, as this is the route taken by trains from Munchen/Munich and beyond to eastern and south-eastern Austria; many of which travel across Austria and continue on to other countries.
So the trains which come this way include:
The day trains:
(1) Railjet trains which depart every other hour on the Munchen/Munich Hbf – Salzburg – Linz – St Polten – Wien/Vienna – Gyor – Budapest route.
(2) Daily Railjet trains which share the Munchen - Salzburg - Bad Gastein - Villach - Klagenfurt route with the EC trains.
The morning train connects in Villach with a train on to Zagreb via Ljubljana.
Until at least mid-June this route will be impacted by major works in Austria.
(3) EC trains which take these four routes once per day;
These EC trains also call at Munchen Ost after they depart from Munchen Hbf.
(4) Hourly Regio trains, operated by Meridian that link Munchen with Salzburg.
(5) Hourly local trains which shuttle across the border on a Bad Reichenhall - Freilassing – Salzburg route; trains from Berchtesgaden connect into these trains at Freilassing
The night trains:
(6) There are Nightjet trains to Italy, which travel on these three routes:
All of these Nightjet services from Germany to Italy are to be cancelled until July 13th due to major works in Austria.
(7) The Euronight train from Stuttgart and Munchen/Munich Ost to Budapest via Wien/Vienna
(8) The overnight train on this route: Stuttgart - Munchen/Munich Ost - Villach - Lesce-Bled - Ljubljana - Zagreb
Between June 13th and Sept 20th it's usually possible to make onward connections from this train on to both Athens/Athina and Istanbul; but these onward connections were suspended at the start of the pandemic and have yet to resume!
(9) The new Euronight service which is direct from Munchen Hbf to Krakow and to Warsaw
There is now a daily ICE train which takes a Berlin - Erfurt - Frankfurt (Main) - Stuttgart - Ulm - Munich/Munchen - Kufstein – Worgl – Jenbach - Innsbruck route.
The most frequent daytime trains which take the route from Rosenheim to Kufstein are the seven EC trains per day which take a Munchen/Munich – Kufstein – Worgl – Jenbach - Innsbruck route.
During the day these trains depart Munchen/Munich in the odd hours and they also call at Munchen Ost station after they depart from Munchen Hbf.
Connect in Worgl for St, Johann, Kitzbuhel and Zell am See.
Though on most Saturdays a direct ICE train to these towns departs from Muchen/Munich hbf at 15:20.
Five of those EC trains continue beyond Innsbruck to call at Brennero – Bolzano – Fortezza – Bolzano –Rovigo – Trento – Verona.
Connect in Verona for cities to the west including Brescia, Desenzano for Lake Garda, Milano and Torino/Turin.
On Monday- Friday three of these trains have their journeys extended beyond Verona to Bologna – and at the height of summer, one train continues beyond Bologna to Rimini; there are two trains per day from Munchen/Munich to Bologna at weekends
Connect in Bologna for cities further south including Ancona, Bari, Firenze/Florence, Napoli and Roma.
On Monday to Friday one of these trains continues beyond Verona to call at Vicenza, Padova/Padua and Venezia/Venice; though there are two trains per day on Saturday and Sunday from Munchen/Munich Venezia/Venice.
By Nightjet train to Innsbruck
The Nightjet overnight trains from Amsterdam via Duisburg, Dussedorf and Koln/Cologne and Hamburg to Innsbruck, also come this way.
Every other hour a regional REX train departs Garmisch-Parternkirchen for Innsbruck on a journey which travels via Mittenwald and Seefeld.
Up to five of these trains per day commence their journeys in Munchen/Munich; but in the hours when there are no direct trains, the connections in Garmisch-Parternkirchen should be straightforward.
This is a more scenic, but slower route, from Munchen/Munich to Innsbruck, to that which is taken by the EC trains heading to Italy, which travel via Kufstein.
The ICE trains from Germany to Austria are the daytime express trains which take the route from Passau to Wels.
They take one of these three routes:
In most hours local REX trains also shuttle between Passau and Wels.
from Belgium, and The Netherlands to Austria
The Nightjet overnight trains from Amsterdam and Bruxelles via Dusseldorf Koln/Cologne and Koblenz to Linz and Vienna/Wien also come this way.
Two charming towns on the shore of the Bodensee are connected by frequent local trains which take the route from Lindau to Bregenz, with at least one of these trains per hour continuing beyond Bregenz to Feldkirch.
A few Railjet trains per day depart Bregenz for Wien/Vienna travelling via St Anton, Innsbruck, Salzburg and Linz, but there are other additional Railjets which travel between Feldkirch and those other Austrian cities.
Three long distance train services also come this way:
(1) The daily ICE train on a Dortmund - Wuppertal - Koln/Cologne - Bonn - Koblenz - Mainz - Mannheim - Stuttgart – Ulm – Lindau – Bregenz – St Anton – Innsbruck route.
(2) Seven daily EC trains on the newly improved Munchen/Munchen – Lindau – Bregenz – St Margrethen - St Gallen –Zurich Flughafen/Airport – Zurich route.
Connect in St Margrethen for trains to Chur via Landquart.
(3) A relatively new Railjet service which follows a Frankfurt (Main) - Darmstadt - Heidelberg - Stuttgart - Ulm - Friedrichshafen - Lindau - Bregenz - Landeck - Innsbruck - Salzburg - Linz - Wien/Vienna route.
This train provides a new direct rail connection from multiple German locations to Innsbruck, Linz and Wien/Vienna, but when travelling to Austria from Ulm and destinations to the north, it's possible to save time by making connections in Munchen and Munich.
The Nightjet train from Berlin to Vienna/Wien travels via Praha/Prague.
The trains from Germany to Belgium take one of two routes.
Two different high speed trains services travel on this line:
(1) Up to 6 x ICE trains per day follow this route: Frankfurt (Main) → Frankfurt Flughafen/Airport → Koln/Cologne → Aachen → Liege → Bruxelles-Nord → Bruxelles-Midi.
(2) Up to five x Eurostar (formerly Thalys) trains per day take a Koln/Cologne → Aachen → Liege → Bruxelles-Midi → Paris Gare du Nord route; most of these trains commence their journeys in Dortmund and also call at Essen and Dusseldorf.
These are the only direct trains from northern Germany to Paris.
Users of Eurail and InterRail passes should target the ICE trains.
By day
Hourly local trains operate on a Aachen → Welkenraedt → Verviers → Spa route.
They are now the only regularly scheduled trains which operate over the Germany/Belgian border, on what was the main line, before the high speed route between Aachen and Liege opened.
At Aachen Hbf connections are available from RE trains which head to Aachen from Dusseldorf, Dortmund, Essen Koln/Cologne, Monchengladbach and Wuppertal.
When the direct high-speed trains aren't available, or if you will be using rail passes and what to avoid the rail pass reservation fees on the Eurostar (formerly Thalys) trains and don't want to wait for an ICE train - the alternative route to the ICE and Thalys trains for a Koln/Cologne to Bruxelles journey, is to use these connections:
By night
There is a new Nightjet service from Berlin to Bruxelles.
Trains from Germany to Czechia take multiple routes as there are numerous direct trains from Germany to the spa towns in western Czechia, but all of the express trains between the two countries take the one spectacular route along a valley shared by the River Elbe.
The route from Bad Schandau to Decin is taken by the only long-distance express trains from Germany to Czechia; and beyond into Hungary
Every two hours EC trains take a Hamburg – Berlin – Dresden – Bad Schandau – Decin – Praha/Prag route.
There is also daily train from Hamburg which typically continues beyond Praha/Prag to Bratislava - Vac - Budapest.
Connections are available in Dresden with trains from Frankfurt (Main), Erfurt and Leipzig.
There is also a daily Railjet train which takes a Berlin - Dresden – Bad Schandau – Decin – Praha/Prag - Brno - Breclav - Wien/Vienna route; this service is also typically the first train of the day from Berlin to Praha/Prag.
This route is also now taken by relatively the new overnight service to Praha/Prague that makes calls in Freiburg, Offenburg, Karlsruhe and Mannheim.
The Nightjet train from Berlin to Budapest also now takes this route; it now departs from Dresden shortly after 20:00.
Seven trains per day take a Munchen/Munich – Regensburg - Furth im Wald – Praha/Prag route.
In Germany they are designated Regio trains, but in Czechia they are now known as 'Bavorsky Express' services.
Local and regional trains provide rail links on four routes between Germany and the popular spa towns in Bohemia (western Czechia)
If you want to travel between Germany and Frantiskovy Lazné/Franzensbad, Karlovy Vary/Carlsbad and Marianské Lazne/Marienbad by train, connections are often required, but the journeys aren't particularly complicated.
1: connecting in Cheb for Frantiskovy Lazne, Karlovy Vary and Marianské Lazne; and Praha/Prague
Cheb is a gateway station when travelling from many destinations in Germany to the Czceh spa towns by train
Cheb has regular trains to the three most popular spa towns, Frantiskovy Lazne, Karlovy Vary and Marianské Lazne
There are now hourly local trains which travel over the border from Marktredwitz to Cheb; these trains from/to Marktredwitz are operated by agilis, so rail passes will not be valid.
Regio trains from Nurnberg to Marktredwitz connect with these trains on to Cheb.
In Nurnberg connections are available with ICE trains from multiple destinations across Germany including Frankfurt (Main), Hamburg, Hannover, Koln/Cologne and Munchen/Munich.
Since the discontinuation of the direct Nurnberg > Praha/Prag trains some years ago, this routing via Nurnberg, Marktredwitz and Cheb is the main rail route for train journeys between central Germany and the Czech capital, because Cheb also has direct trains on to Praha/Prag.
2: to Franzensbad
Every two hours local trains travel a Hof – As - Frantiskovy Lazné – Cheb route.
So this route is typically the best option when travelling from eastern Germany to Frantiskovy Lazné/Franzensbad to by train
At Hof connections are available from Regio trains which have travelled from Bamberg, Bayreuth and Dresden; also connect in Dresden when travelling from Berlin or Leipzig.
3: from Dresden to Frantiskovy Lazné
Four local trains per day take a Plauen – Bad Brambach - Frantiskovy Lazné - Cheb route.
At Plauen connections are available with Regio trains from Dresden via Zwickau and Chemnitz, so if you’ll be heading to Cheb and Frantiskovy Lazné from those German cities AND the timings suit, this is a slightly quicker route than travelling via Hof.
4: from Dresden to Carlsbad
Up to 7 x local trains per day travel from the German border town of Johanngeorgenstad to the Czecch spa town of Karlovy Vary/Carlsbad.
In Johanngeorgenstad connections are available with trains from Zwickau, which is served by trains from Chemnitz and Dresden.
The Hamburg > Koebenhavn train service was switched away from the route which travelled through Lubeck and Nykobing a couple of years ago, so trains no longer travel on the ferries from Germany to Denmark.
So the only route taken by trains from Germany and Denmark is the route between Flensburg and Padborg; four different train services now travel across this border crossing in Jutland:
(1) Five or Seven trains EC trains per day take this route: Hamburg – Padborg - Kolding – Odense - Ringsted – Kobenhavn/Copenhagen.
The increased level of service operates during the summer.
The direct trains from Hamburg to Aarhus have been withdrawn and their timings from Hamburg have been taken over by the additional trains to Kobenhavn/Copenhagen.
But new Danish IC express services have been provided from Kolding to Aarhus, which have a simple as can be cross-platform connection in Kolding from all of the Hamburg to Kobenhavn/Copenhagen trains.
The departures from Hamburg at 08:55; 10:53 (not Saturday*) and 12:53 (not Saturday*) typically have 40 min connections in København H station info fast Snabbtag trains on to Stockholm.
*= there are fewer direct trains on the København to Stockholm route on Saturdays.
The trains which depart Hamburg before 15:00 also have easy connections in Kobenhavn H station on to Goteborg/Gothenburg
It is now possible to reach Oslo from Hamburg in single day by train- depart Hamburg Hbf daily at 08:56 and connect in København and Goteborg in order to arrive into Oslo at around 23:45.
The time between trains in København H station will be around 55 mins and the time between arrival and departure in Goteborg is scheduled to be 1hr 50mins.
(2) Six x Danish IC trains per day travel between Flensburg and Fredericia; and some of these trains have good connections in Flensburg with Regio trains from Hamburg.
In the peak summer period rail pass users have to pay reservation fees on the direct IC trains from Germany to Denmark.
If the quota of reservations is sold out, or if you want to avoid them when using Eurail and InterRail passes, connections are available in Fredericia to trains on to Aarhus and Kobenhavn.
(3) Swedish rail operator Snälltåget is now operating a direct overnight train from Berlin to Stockholm via Malmo, it calls at Hoje Taastrup in the western suburbs of Kobenhavn just after 06:30 and frequent local trains offer a connection on to central Kobenhavn/Copenhagen.
Though it only operates during certain periods of time, for its dates of operation check out its website - between March 31st and November 1st it will depart on Monday to Fridays and Sundays.
(4) The SJ Night train now departs nightly on a Berlin - Hamburg (Altona) to Stockholm route - though it will call at the station at Kobenhavn Lufthavn/airport at the inconvenient time of around 03:45 in the morning.
Trains from Germany to France take only one of four routes:
Up to five x Eurostar (formerly Thalys) trains per day take a Koln/Cologne – Aachen – Liege - Bruxelles-Midi – Paris Gare du Nord route; most of these trains commence their journeys in Dortmund and also call at Essen and Dusseldorf.
These are the only direct daytime trains from northern Germany to France.
Two train services take the border crossing from Saarbrucken to Forbach:
(1) Three or four x DB-SNCF high speed services per day which take the Frankfurt (Main) – Mannheim – Kaiserslautern – Saarbrucken – Forbach- Paris-Est route.
Though not all of these trains call at Forbach.
Other trains from Frankfurt (Main) to Paris travel via Karlsruhe and Strasbourg; see below.
(2) Local trains which shuttle across the border from Saarbrucken to Forbach.
In Forbach good connections are available from these trains into TER trains on to Metz.
Saarbrucken has trains from Mainz, Koblenz, Kaiserslautern and Trier.
An alternative route from Koblenz and Trier to Metz is available by changing trains in Luxembourg.
Metz has trains to Nancy, Paris and Strasboug.
Six train services take the route from Kehl to Strasbourg:
1: the other trains from Frankfurt (Main) to Paris
Up to two* DB-SNCF services per day services take this route Frankfurt (Main) – Mannheim –Karlsruhe – Strasbourg – Paris Est.
*Only 1 x train per day on Sundays.
2: from Austria and Munich and Stuttgart to Paris
Four or five trains per day take this route; Stuttgart - Karlsruhe – Strasbourg – Paris Est.
One of these trains commences its journey in Munchen/Munich and also calls in Augsburg and Ulm.
The Nightjet service from Wien/Linz and Salzburg to Paris travels this way, having departed the Austrian capital on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
It also typically departs from Munchen Ost station shortly after midnight.
This is the only direct train from Austria to France.
3: from Frankfurt (Main) to Lyon and the south of France
One DB-SNCF train per day takes this route; Frankfurt (Main) – Mannheim –Karlsruhe – Strasbourg – Mulhouse – Lyon - Avignon – Marseille.
This is the only direct train from central Germany to the south of France.
4: from Berlin to Paris
The capital cities of Germany and France and are now being linked by a daytime rail service!
An ICE train will be taking a Berlin Hbf (depart 11:41) - Berlin-Spandau - Frankfurt (Main) Süd - Karlsruhe - Strasbourg - Paris Est route.
The train will in effect be operating as a 'Sprinter' service in Germany, by calling at Frankfurt (Main) Sud instead of at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, the end-to-end journey time in both directions, is at least 20 minutes faster!
The Nightjet train from Berlin to Paris also comes this way.
5: from Freiburg and the Europa Park
The daily direct train from Freiburg to Paris-Est also calls in Offenburg and the station at Ringsheim, which is connected to the Europa Park resort.
6: by local trains from Offenburg
In most hours local trains per hour travel from Offenburg to Strasbourg.
Rail pass users, looking to avoid the comparatively expensive rail pass reservation fees on the long-distance trains which come this way, can take trains to Offenburg from other cities including Hamburg, Frankfurt (Main) and Koln/Cologne.
In most hours during the day local trains depart Mulheim for Neuenburg where connections are available into trains to Mulhouse.
In some hours there are direct trains from Mulheim to Mulhouse.
The direct trains from Germany to Italy travel through either Austria or Switzerland.
by day to Bologna, Verona and Venice
There are five EC trains per day which take a Munchen/Munich → Rosemheim → Innsbruck → Brennero → Bolzano → Fortezza → Bolzano → Rovigo → Trento → Verona route.
During the day these trains depart Munchen/Munich in the odd hours and they also call at Munchen Ost station after they depart from Munchen Hbf.
Connect in Verona for cities to the west including Brescia, Desenzano for Lake Garda, Milano and Torino/Turin.
On Monday to Friday three of these trains have their journeys extended beyond Verona to Bologna – and at the height of summer, one train continues beyond Bologna to Rimini; there are two Munchen to Bologna trains on weekends.
Connect in Bologna for cities further south including Ancona, Bari, Firenze/Florence, Napoli and Roma.
On Monday to Friday one of these trains continues beyond Verona to call at Vicenza, Padova/Padua and Venezia/Venice.
There are two direct trains from Munich/Muncen to Venezia/Venice at weekends.
by night to Milan, Genova, The Cinque Terre, Florence, Rome and Venice
All of these Nightjet services from Germany to Italy are to be cancelled until July 13th due to major works in Austria.
There are Nightjet trains to Italy, which travel on these three routes:
(1) Munchen/Munich → Villach → Padova/Padua → Vicenza → Verona → Peschiera del Garda → Desenzano del Garda → Brescia – Milano - Genova - Rapallo - Levanto - La Spezia.
The only direct train from Munchen/Munich to the resort towns on Lake Garda and Milano; and now The Cinque Terre.
(2) Munchen/Munich → Villach → Bologna → Firenze/Florence → Arezzo → Roma
This the only direct train from Germany to Florence/Firenze and Roma.
(3) Stuttgart - Munchen/Munich Ost→ Villach → Tarvisio → Udine → Treviso → Venezia/Venice
Plus between the second Saturday in June and the second Saturday in September there is a summer only service on a Munchen/Munich → Rimini →Ancona route.
There are good connections on to Bari, Lecce and Pescara from this train.
During the day there are hourly Regio trains on this route; Koblenz → Trier → Luxembourg; one of these trains commence its journey in Dusseldorf and also call at Koln/Cologne Hbf (typically departs 14:14) and Bonn.
Straightforward connections are available in Luxembourg into regional French TER trains heading to Nancy via Metz and into TGV trains to Paris.
For a train journey from The Rhine Valley to Paris, travelling via Luxembourg can be a cheaper and faster option than travelling via Koln/Cologne; rail pass users will definitely save money if the come this way
The trains from Germany to Poland primarily follow four routes.
from Frankfurt (Oder) to Rzepin:
This is the main route which connects Germany to Poland, the trains between Berlin and Warszawa come this way.
Three daytime express train services and an overnight train take this border crossing:
(1) Up to six EC trains per day, which are branded ‘Berlin-Warszawa Express’, take this route: Berlin → Frankfurt (Oder) → Rzepin → Poznan →Warszawa
The usual first train of the day is not available on Sundays, and the usual final train of the day does not depart on Sundays.
The train which typically departs from Berlin at 09:38 connects in Warszawa with the overnight train to Kyiv/Kiev.
(2) One EC train per day, named the 'Gedania', which takes this route; Berlin → Frankfurt (Oder) → Rzepin → Poznan → Bydgoszcz → Gdasnk → Sofok → Gydnia.
This train is named the 'Berlin-Gdansk Express and it is usually scheduled to depart from Berlin Hbf at 12:52.
(3) Three trains per day now take a Berlin → Wroclaw → Katowice → Krakow → Przemysl; connect for Lviv and Kiev.
In Berlin all of these three EC services commence their journeys at Berlin Hbf, but also call at Berlin Ostbahnhof.
to Szczechin
Every other hour trains take a Lubeck to Szczechin route; and Szczechin has a few direct trains to Gydnia and Gdansk.
On the current timetable the trains on the Angermunde to Szczechin route have been replaced by buses.
from Gorlitz to Zgorzelec:
What had been direct trains from Dresden to Wroclaw now travel no further than the Polish border town, Zgorzelec.
Five trains per day depart from Dresden for Zgorzelec, where they connect with trains on to Wroclaw.
The first three connections of the the day from Dresden, arrive in Wroclaw in time for connections on to Krakow, Poznan and Warszawa.
(1) The SJ Night train now departs nightly on a Berlin - Hamburg-Altona - Stockholm route.
(2) Swedish rail operator Snälltåget is now operating a direct overnight train from Berlin to Stockholm via Malmo.
Though it only operates during certain periods of time, for its dates of operation check out its website, though it us nightly from late May until early September.
The River Rhine and Lake Constance, also known as the Bodensee both provide natural barriers along the German and Swiss border, so there are only TWO routes used by long-distance express trains between Germany and Switzerland.
The trains on the Munchen to Zurich route, travel through Austria because the eastern end of the Bodensee is in Austria.
Though the German national rail operator DB operates services of ICE trains to the German speaking cities of Basel and Zurich, which are as frequent as the ICE services to many of the cities within Germany.
The station named Basel Bad Bahnhof is in Switzerland, but it's managed as though it is a German station, so train services that only travel from Germany as far as Basel Bad Bahnhof, have been excluded from this summary.
Though one useful route which terminates at Basel bad bf are trains which travel along the north shore of the Bodensee on an Ulm → Friedrichshafen → Radolfzell → Singen → Schaffhausen → Waldshut → Basel route;
by ICE trains
The train services which do travel on from Basel Bad Banhnhof; and also call at Basel SBB station, include the ICE trains on these three routes:
(1) Berlin → Kassel → Frankfurt (Main) → Mannheim → Kalrsruhe → Baden Baden → Freiburg → Basel → Olten → Bern → Thun → Spiez → Interlaken; 3 or 4 trains per day
(2) Hamburg → Hannover → Kassel → Frankfurt (Main) → Mannheim → Kalrsruhe → Baden Baden → Freiburg → Basel → Zurich (5 trains per day)
Two or three trains per day travel on beyond Zurich to Chur via Landquart.
Connect in Basel for Bern, Biel, Brig, Delemont, Luzern, Interlaken, Olten, Spiez, Thun and Visp
Connect in Zurich for Bellinzona, Lugano and St. Galllen.
(3) Hamburg → Bremen → Dortmund → Wuppertal → Koln/Cologne → Seigburg/Bonn → Frankfurt Airport/Flughafen → Mannheim → Kalrsruhe → Freiburg → Basel SBB; 6 trains per day
by EC trains
There are also daily service operated by IC/EC trains, which travel through Basel on these three routes:
(1) Hamburg → Bremen → Dortmund → Essen → Duisburg → Dusseldorf → Koln/Cologne → Bonn → Koblenz → Mainz → Mannheim → Kalrsruhe → Baden Baden → Freiburg → Basel → Olten → Bern → Thun → Spiez → Interlaken
(2) Hamburg → Bremen → Dortmund → Essen → Duisburg → Dusseldorf → Koln/Cologne → Bonn → Koblenz → Mainz → Mannheim → Kalrsruhe → Baden Baden → Freiburg → Basel → Zurich
These two trains, which conveys 1st class observation cars, link The Rhine Gorge to Switzerland.
(3) Frankfurt (Main) → Mannheim → Kalrsruhe → Baden Baden → Freiburg → Basel → Zurich → Zug → Belinzona → Zurich → Lugano → and on to *Milano**
the night trains
There are overnight Nightjet services on these routes, which also come this way:
(1) Hamburg → Hannover → Basel → Zurich
(2) Berlin → Magdeburg → Basel→ Zurich
(3) Prague → Dresden → Leipzig → Basel - Zurich
(4) Amsterdam → Koln → Bonn→ Basel → Zurich.
Three train services make this border crossing:
(1) German IC trains on this route; Stuttgart → Horb → Rottweil → Singen → Schaffhausen → Zurich.
(2) Swiss IC trains on a Singen → Schaffhausen → Zurich route.
The train service is arranged so that in alternate hours there is a direct train from Stuttgart to Zurich, but in other hours, Stuttgart > Singen IC trains connect with the Singen > Zurich trains.
(3) German Regio trains which take a Ulm – Friederichshafen – Radofzell - Singen – Schaffhausen – Waldshut – Basel (Bad Bahnhof) route.
Ulm has frequent trains from Munich/Munchen and Augsburg; and trains from Lindau connect into these services at Friederichshafen.
The trains from Germany to The Netherlands take one of five routes, but only two of them are taken by long-distance express services.
Every two hours during the day Intercity-Berlijn trains take this route from Bad Bentheim to Hengelo:
Berlin → Wolfsburg → Hannover → Osnabruck* → Rheine → Bad Bentheim → Hengelo → Deventer → Amersfoort → Hilversum → Amsterdam Central
*Osnabruck is served by trains from Hamburg via Bremen.
Hourly Regio trains now also cross this border on this route; Bielefeld → Osnabruck → Rheine → Bad Bentheim → Hengelo.
Connect in Hengelo into hourly Dutch IC trains on these routes
On Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings the new European Sleeper train service travels through the night on a Berlin - Deventer - Amsterdam - Rotterdam - Roosendaal - Antwerp - Bruxlles-Brussels route.
Two daytime train services now travel along the railway from Emmerich to Arnhem:
(1) The ICE trains on these routes:
(2) Hourly Regio trains which take a Dusseldorf → Duisburg → Oberhausen → Emmerich → Arnhem route.
If the timings of the ICE trains don't suit, there are Dutch IC express trains on from Arnhem to Amsterdam, Delt, Rotterdam and Utrecht.
by night train
The relatively new overnight train service from Basel to Amsterdam which also calls at Freiburg and Offenburg, plus the train from Munich to Amsterdam also take this route.
Hourly local trains from both Munster and Dortmund take a route via Gronau to reach Enschede.
Connect in Enschede into hourly Dutch IC trains on these routes
Hourly Regio trains operate on this route; Hamm (West) → Hagen → Wuppertal → Dusseldorf →Neuss → Monchengladbach → Venlo.
Dutch IC trains operate hourly on this route; Venlo → Eindhoven* → ' → Utrecht → Amsterdam Centraal.
So this is the route to take if you want to travel from Dusseldorf to Eindhoven and 's-Hertogenbosch / Den Bosch
*Connect in Eindhoven for Rotterdam and Den Haag/The Hague.
The trains which used to take a route through Bad Nieuweschans in the north Netherlands from Leer to Groningen have been replaced by buses which depart every other hour, this could be due to work on the railway line, or it may be a permanent substitution.
Leer is served by hourly trains from a swathe of German towns and cities including Bremen, Duisburg, Dusseldorf, Hannover, Koln/Cologne and Oldenburg.
Hourly trains connect Aachen to Heerlen and Maastricht; Dutch IC trains link Maastricht to Eindhoven and 's-Hertogenbosch / Den Bosch and Utrecht and Amsterdam.
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This is one of more than 100 train travel guides available on ShowMeTheJourney, which will make it easier to take the train journeys you want or need to make. As always, all images were captured on trips taken by ShowMeTheJourney.
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please consider saying thank you.