Why visit one impossibly cool capital city, when you could see three?
Train travellers in Europe will soon get the chance to travel from Prague to Copenhagen, via Berlin, using a brand new long-distance train connection.
Deutsche Bahn in Germany, DSB in Denmark and ČD in Czechia are the largest rail operators in their respective countries. Now, they’re joining forces to run a new rail service.
The trains will run year round, starting on May 1 2026, with journey times of just 7 hours between Copenhagen and Berlin, and 11 hours between Copenhagen and Prague.
That might sound like a slog, but in the past, a journey from Copenhagen to Prague could take more than 14 hours.
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And, travel time will be cut even more once the Fehmarn Belt Undersea Tunnel, which connects Denmark and Germany, is open, which is currently scheduled for 2029.
There will be two outward and two return journeys a day, on trains reaching speeds of up to 230km per hour. More planned stops are also set to be introduced, including destinations such as Dresden and Hamburg.
Trains will depart Prague daily at 6.30am and 10.30am, and there’s also a night-time service planned for the summer — this will depart Prague at 4.30pm.
Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the European commissioner for sustainable transport and tourism, said: ‘Improving high-speed rail, especially across borders, is our top priority.
‘This new line, connecting the Czech Republic, Germany, and Denmark, is a strong example of progress. And I am especially proud that it is the first of the ten pilot projects supported by the European Commission to promote new cross-border rail connections.’
German city dubbed ‘Gateway to the World’
One of the proposed stops on the new multi-country line includes Hamburg. Last year, Metro’s video producer, Jed Bradley, spent 48 hours there — here’s what he had to say about his trip…
The best things to do in Hamburg
I start my sightseeing at the Elbphilharmonie, an imposing concert hall-hotel known locally as the Elphi.
Sitting atop a 1960s brick warehouse, Hamburg’s tallest residential building is a handy place to get your bearings with a 360-degree outdoor observation platform to gaze over the city to the north, and the bustling port to the south.
I visit in October, but every May, more than one million people descend on the waterfront for the Port Anniversary, the biggest event in Hamburg’s calendar. Sailing ships parade down the river, live performances fill the streets and food stalls serve local delicacies before the night ends with a spectacular fireworks display.
The river path stretches for miles, with plenty of riverside bars and restaurants to rest your feet in before you head back towards the city centre.
Hamburg’s grand City Hall, The Rathaus, dominates the skyline. Finished in 1897, it’s now the nucleus of the shopping district, with high-end boutiques in the northern Old Town and high street giants like H&M and Zara to the south.
Wide, pedestrianised promenades are dotted with restaurants along the way, providing plenty of opportunity to refuel after retail therapy. If it turns into a retail nightmare, head to Binnenalster Lake, a popular respite from the frenzy of city life.
For a big night out, head to Hamburg’s legendary nightlife district – the Reeperbahn. I visited venues like Große Freiheit 36 and Molotow, before perching myself at Le Lion, a famous speakeasy that serves expertly crafted drinks.
If you want to dance until dawn, check out one of the district’s iconic nightclubs like Dollhouse or Übel & Gefährlich, housed in a sprawling war bunker.
Hamburg’s trade roots remain important today with huge quantities of coffee and cocoa flowing through its port. If you’re a chocolate lover (who isn’t?), a visit to Chocoversum (€25/£21) will not disappoint like Glasgow’s Willy’s Chocolate Experience.
When you crash from all the sugar, Burg Coffee Museum is on hand for a pick-me-up. Along the 90-minute tasting tour (€21/£18) through one of the original canalside warehouses, you’ll see why Hamburg’s tax exemption for raw beans made it the coffee capital of Europe.
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