Plans for a new high-speed train offering direct service between two of the world’s top clubbing cities, London and Berlin, are reportedly in the works as part of a treaty between the UK and Germany.
Signed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on July 17, the bilateral treaty will create a joint taskforce of experts from the UK and Germany’s respective transportation networks, who will meet to resolve border control policies, safety concerns, and other legal hang-ups that have made the project previously difficult to complete.
An overnight sleeper train connecting London and Berlin was launched in 2023; however, due to customs requirements, it required a changeover in Brussels, Belgium. The Prime Minister’s office described the new UK-Germany treaty as a “significant step forward” in the construction of a direct link between the two countries.
Before connecting the two capital cities, the aim will be to link London with Germany destinations such as Frankfurt and Cologne via London’s St. Pancras Station, according to a report from Euro News.
In a statement shared with the BBC, UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the “landmark agreement” has the potential to offer a “faster, more convenient and significantly green alternative to flying” within the next decade.
As part of the new treaty, Germany will also allow “some” UK nationals to use passport e-gates as soon as the end of August, according to a press release.
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