Trains traveling directly from Prague to Copenhagen, making stops in Berlin, will be in service starting from May.
**New Direct Train Connection from Prague to Copenhagen via Berlin to Launch in May 2026**
A new direct train connection from Prague to Copenhagen, operated jointly by Czech Railways (ČD), Deutsche Bahn (DB), and Danish State Railways (DSB), is set to commence on 1st May 2026. The service will utilise ČD's ComfortJet trains, allowing travellers to journey from Prague to Copenhagen without switching trains in Berlin.
The train will traverse a route from Prague through Dresden, Berlin, Hamburg, Padborg, Odense, and finally reach Copenhagen. Two daily round trips will be available between Prague and Copenhagen, with the main service departing Prague at 10:31 and arriving in Copenhagen at 17:25. A seasonal second daily night train will operate from late May to late August 2026, with departures from Prague at 16:31 and arrivals in Copenhagen at 11:25 the next day.
Czech Railways (ČD) will provide the ComfortJet trains, while Deutsche Bahn (DB) and its infrastructure subsidiary DB InfraGO will be involved in the operation. Danish State Railways (DSB) will participate in the Danish part of the route. This new partnership aims to improve cross-border rail connections in Europe by providing a convenient and seamless long-distance train service linking Central and Northern Europe.
The DB's new ticket offer is expected to make international train travel through the European Union easier, and the new train connection from Prague to Copenhagen via Berlin is the first of these EU-supported projects. The expected travel time between Copenhagen and Berlin is seven hours, and the train service will offer two daily round trips throughout the year.
Berlin will serve as a strengthened hub in Europe due to the new train connection, and international train travel through the European Union is expected to become easier with DB's new ticket offer. The DB's new train connection from Prague to Copenhagen via Berlin is not the only development in the pipeline; a direct train connection from Munich to Paris is also planned.
Currently, there are night trains of the Swedish provider Snälltåget between Berlin and Stockholm with a stop in Copenhagen, but they do not run daily. The existing night connection between Hamburg and Copenhagen in the summer season will be extended via Berlin and Dresden to Prague from 2026.
The European Union is supporting ten "pilot projects to promote cross-border rail connections," with the goal of developing sustainable mobility in Europe. Before the new service begins, the route between Berlin and Hamburg will undergo a general renovation, and after the renovation, Dresden and Hamburg will also be connected on this train route.
Kai Wegner, Berlin's governing mayor, has expressed support for the new train connection as an "important contribution to a sustainable transport turnaround." Michael Peterson, DB board member for long-distance passenger transport, believes that travel times of over four hours in international long-distance traffic find approval among passengers. The expected travel time between Copenhagen and Prague is eleven hours.
Starting May 1, 2026, travellers can take a direct train from Prague to Copenhagen via Berlin, making long-distance travel in Europe more convenient and sustainable.
This new direct train connection, operated by Czech Railways (ČD), Deutsche Bahn (DB), and Danish State Railways (DSB), is set to improve employment opportunities for staff involved in the operation and management of the service, as per the employment policy. To ensure a seamless cross-border experience, the partnership is also expected to develop and implement a community policy that addresses the needs of passengers from diverse cultural backgrounds, accommodating travelers from various industries during financial transactions such as purchasing tickets. The train connection will contribute to the advancement of transportation infrastructure in Europe, promoting sustainable mobility as part of the European Union's ten "pilot projects to promote cross-border rail connections."
