Travelers heading from Prague to Copenhagen will soon have a new, faster, and more comfortable way to make the trip — and for the first time in more than a decade, it won’t require a transfer.

Starting in May 2026, Czech Railways (České dráhy) will launch a direct train line to the Danish capital in cooperation with Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Danish State Railways (DSB).

The service will run year-round, passing through Berlin and Hamburg, and will mark the return of direct service to Copenhagen for the first time since 2014.

The new line will be operated by the ComfortJet, Czech Railways’ most modern train unit, which is capable of reaching speeds up to 230 km/h—especially on the upgraded Berlin–Hamburg corridor.

The journey will take around 11 hours, but travel time is expected to shorten further once the Fehmarnbelt undersea tunnel—currently under construction between Germany and Denmark—is completed in the coming years.

Trains from Prague’s main station will depart at 6:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., with a seasonal afternoon train at 4:30 p.m. added during the summer months. Two daily pairs will operate year-round.

A test run is planned for autumn 2025, during which staff from DB and DSB will be trained to operate the new ComfortJet. As part of the international setup, conductors and drivers will change at national borders, though restaurant car staff will remain onboard for the entire journey.

Tickets are expected to go on sale about six months before launch.

This route is the first completed project out of ten pilot cross-border rail initiatives backed by the European Commission, part of its long-term goal to boost eco-friendly rail travel across Europe.

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