Eurostar-style train to directly connect UK with Berlin and two more cities

Metro

5 days ago

Whether it's buzzing nightlife, an inclusive LGBTQ+ scene, historical sites or just a really good Currywurst, Berlin arguably has everything you'd need from a city break.
And now, if you're looking for a greener way to travel to the German capital, plans for a direct train from London have been announced – and it could significantly chop journey times.
Last week, Keir Starmer signed a 'first of its kind' treaty with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, which, as well as strengthening the relationship between the UK and Germany, also plans to establish a direct route between the capital and three German cities.
Building the Eurostar-style links between London, Frankfurt and Cologne will be first on the list, while Berlin will be the final stop added across the roughly decade-long plan.
At the moment, those looking to travel between the two cities need to take a Eurostar train from St Pancras to Bruxelles-Midi, changing for a service to Cologne and, finally, to Berlin Hauptbahnhof.
While there are undoubtedly stunning views along the way, it takes between 10 and 11 hours door-to-door. Frankfurt isn't much better, as it can take up to nine hours, though it's hoped that the new route will shorten this to around five.
This isn't the first time officials have looked at establishing a direct route between London and Frankfurt.
In 2010, Deutsche Bahn tried (and failed) with proposals for the Inter City Express, but it shelved the plans after it encountered a mass of red tape and complications, including differences in train voltage, crossing borders and even tunnels.
While we don't have any specifics right now, the plans have the potential to change how millions of people travel between the UK and Germany, with an estimated 3,200,000 Brits having visited in 2023.
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said that the government is 'determined to put Britain at the heart of a better-connected continent,' describing it as a 'landmark agreement.'
'A new task force will bring our nations closer together and create new opportunities for tourism, business and cultural exchange, building on a landmark deal we signed earlier this year to explore introducing direct services to Switzerland,' she added.
And, as well as improving the transport links between the two, it's hoped that the London-Berlin line will support the economy in creating jobs and strengthen existing trade links, both of which are 'central' to the UK's 'Plan for Change.'
Need inspiration on how to fill your time once your train arrives?
Berlin is famous for its nightlife scene – but be warned, the Berghain is notoriously difficult to get into. Rumour has it that if you wear all-black, your chances of getting in are higher.
If you don't manage to charm the bouncers, though, there's also the famous KitKat, a hedonistic sex club complete with a swimming pool and countless sex swings, or more PC options available at SchwuZ and Sisyphos.
If you do go out on a Friday, though, you could end up partying until Monday, as the famous Berlin clubbing mantra goes.
First opening its doors in 1985, the Schwules Museum (AKA, the Gay Museum) has long been a mainstay for documenting LGBTQ+ life.
Found in one of the city's historic queer neighbourhoods, Regenbogenkiez is known as the Rainbow District, and has been a hub for LGBTQ+ Berliners since the 1910s.
Writer Christopher Isherwood famously moved to Berlin in 1929, and local theatre Metropol (formerly the Neues Schauspielhaus) was a favourite haunt of his.
Later transformed into the club, throughout the 1980s it was frequented by the likes of Depeche Mode, Morrissey, and the Human League.
When it comes to foodie spots, if you're after a life-changing Currywurst, you'll be sure to find it at Konnopke's Imbiß, which started off as a sausage cart and later went on to serve East Berlin's first Currywurst in 1960. And of course, Burgermeister is known for its mouthwatering menu. If you want our recommendation, it has to be the chilli-cheeseburger.
History buffs will be well acquainted with Checkpoint Charlie, a central crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin throughout the Cold War that famously appeared in multiple spy films, including James Bond's Octopussy and The Spy Who Came In From The Cold.
While the final crossing between the two divided cities was made in June 1990, these days it's possible to visit the original booth that stood there at the Allied Museum. A photograph of a US soldier towers above the site, and there's more information on display at the Mauer (which means wall in German) Museum, as well as the Trabi Museum and Cold War BlackBox. More Trending
Housed inside the former home of the East German secret police, the Stasi Museum displays the various objects used by the Stasi to control the residents of the DDR, including bugs, hidden cameras, and propaganda.
A hugely emotive experience, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe documents the horror of the Nazi regime.
The granite network is comprised of 2,711 concrete slabs measuring 19,000 square metres, with each stone remembering the 6,000,000 Jewish people who were murdered during the Holocaust.
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