Deutsche Bahn has introduced its 2027 timetable, set to take effect on December 13, 2026. The rail operator announced new ICE Sprinter services, an expanded international network, and steady fares.
- A new ICE Sprinter line will connect Hamburg and Munich: three daily round trips with stops limited to Hanover and Nuremberg.
- The timetable change is scheduled for December 13, 2026, with ticket sales starting on October 14.
- DB reports over 320 international trips per day; the improvements apply to specific designated routes while major infrastructure works will continue to impact journey times.
New Connections Across Germany
According to Deutsche Bahn, the new ICE Sprinter between Hamburg and Munich will depart three times daily in each direction, stopping only in Hanover and Nuremberg. Scheduled travel time is 5 hours and 20 minutes, cutting 20 minutes off the previous duration.
Between Berlin and Stuttgart, the frequency of Sprinter services will increase from one to three daily round trips according to the new schedule. Travel time on this route is expected to take 4 hours and 45 minutes. The company also announced the return of the half-hour service interval between Berlin and Hamburg, alongside new or reinstated direct links connecting cities such as Jena and Berlin or Saarbrücken and Hamburg.
International Rail Services
Deutsche Bahn announced that the schedule will offer more than 320 daily international trips, covering over 200 cities across 14 European countries. Frequencies will increase to Italy, France, Austria, and Denmark. Specifically, beginning in March, seven daily departures in each direction are planned between Hamburg and Copenhagen.
Starting in summer 2027, according to DB, Frecciarossa high-speed trains run in partnership with Trenitalia will link Munich with Milan and Rome, offering one daily train pair per city. The schedule also expands capacity between Stuttgart and Paris, as well as between Frankfurt, Nuremberg, and Vienna upon completion of upgrades along the Nuremberg–Passau corridor.
Track Construction Work Will Affect Specific Routes
DB stated that extensive infrastructure corridor renovations will continue in 2027, including lines between Hanover and Berlin, Hanau and Fulda, and Rosenheim and Freilassing/Salzburg. Reroutings and adjusted timetables for major construction projects are already reflected in journey planners. During the construction between North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin, direct hourly ICE connections will remain in place, though travel times will increase by approximately 80 minutes.
DB announced price stability across the 2027 timetable. Ticket sales for travel starting December 13 open on October 14 via bahn.de, the DB Navigator app, travel centers (Reisezentren), and partner agencies.