Direct Train Prague - Berlin - Copenhagen Launched as EU Pilot Route: What It Changes for European Travel

Europe has gained a new important route for travelers without transfers: a direct train between Prague, Berlin, and Copenhagen has been officially presented as the first of ten EU pilot projects for the development of cross-border railways. For tourists, this means a simpler alternative to short-haul flights between Central Europe, Germany, and Scandinavia, but for the summer of 2026, there is an important practical detail: due to works in the Hamburg area, direct connections on certain dates will be interrupted, so tickets and routes must be checked before booking.

The launch of the direct Prague - Berlin - Copenhagen route has become a notable event not only for the railway market but also for tourism. The European Commission welcomed the launch of the new service on June 26, 2026, calling it an important step for international passenger transport. The idea is simple: to connect three capitals and several large tourist hubs with one route, so that travel between the Czech Republic, Germany, and Denmark does not require complex transfers in Berlin, Hamburg, or other sections.

For tourists, this is especially relevant in the summer, when airfares rise and Europe's large airports operate under increased load. Railways will not replace flights on all routes, but on routes between large cities, they are becoming an increasingly stronger part of the journey. The new direct train allows planning a route not around airports, but around city centers: Prague, Dresden, Berlin, Hamburg, and Copenhagen.

What Exactly Was Launched

According to the European Commission, the new service directly connects Scandinavia with Central Europe and is part of a list of ten pilot international railway routes supported by the EU since 2023. This is not a one-time tourist promotion, but part of a broader policy: the EU wants to make international train trips simpler, clearer for passengers, and more competitive compared to short-haul flights.

Operationally, the route is implemented by the railway companies of the Czech Republic, Germany, and Denmark: České dráhy, Deutsche Bahn, and DSB. Deutsche Bahn previously reported that the connection should link Prague and Copenhagen via Berlin, with Dresden and Hamburg named as key stops in Germany. České dráhy, for its part, indicates that since June 14, 2026, the direct Prague - Copenhagen connection operates via Ústí nad Labem, Děčín, Dresden, Berlin, and Hamburg.

For the passenger, this means more predictable logistics. Previously, the journey from Prague to Copenhagen usually required transfers, most often in Berlin and Hamburg. Now, part of the trips can be planned with one ticket and one train, which is especially important for families, travelers with luggage, people with bicycles, and tourists who do not want to risk short transfers.

How Long the Journey Takes and Which Trains Are Used

The benchmark provided by the railway partners is about seven hours between Copenhagen and Berlin and approximately eleven hours for the entire route between Copenhagen and Prague. For comparison, a flight between these cities is formally shorter, but the actual journey includes the trip to the airport, check-in or luggage drop-off, security checks, waiting for boarding, arrival, and transfer to the city center. This is why for some tourists, the train becomes not only a more ecological but also a calmer alternative.

The route is served by modern ComfortJet trains of the Czech railway. Deutsche Bahn describes them as trains with a maximum speed of up to 230 km/h, first and second class seats, a restaurant, Wi-Fi, space for bicycles, equipment for passengers in wheelchairs, and additional conveniences for family trips. For a tourist route, this is important: the journey is long enough that cabin comfort, the ability to eat, and stable access to information are not trifles, but part of the quality of the journey.

České dráhy also reports that tickets to Denmark are available through international ticket offices and online sales, and prices for international tickets depend on the fare, purchase date, and conversion from euros. In its passenger materials, the carrier gives an example of the cost of a trip from Prague to Copenhagen starting from 1,488 Czech koruna, which is approximately from 60 euros, but for actual booking, travelers should check the specific date, class, return conditions, and availability of seats.

Why This Route Is Important for Tourism

The new train is significant on several levels. First, it makes the classic city-break route more convenient: Prague, Dresden, Berlin, Hamburg, and Copenhagen can become parts of one trip without internal flights. For tourists from Ukraine and other Central European countries, this opens a natural land corridor to Denmark, and for Scandinavian travelers, a direct path to the Czech Republic and the eastern part of Central Europe.

Second, it is a way to relieve some short-haul air routes. In practice, tourists will still often combine rail and air: some will fly to Prague Airport (PRG), continue the route by train to Germany and Denmark, and fly back via Copenhagen Airport (CPH). Others, conversely, will use Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) as an entry point to the route and then plan their journey by rail. Such a mixed model is becoming increasingly typical for European travel.

Third, the route strengthens the role of Berlin and Hamburg as transport hubs between the north and center of Europe. For Berlin, this is not only an additional international direction but also an argument in favor of developing the city as a hub for railway tourism. For Hamburg, the route is important as a bridge to Denmark, although the Hamburg infrastructure in the summer of 2026 creates the main practical difficulty for passengers.

Main Summer Warning: Repairs in Hamburg

Despite the official launch, travelers should not perceive the new route as guaranteed to be uninterrupted on every date in the summer. According to dpa, published by WELT, the direct Copenhagen - Prague connection will be interrupted for four weeks from July 18 to August 15, 2026, due to construction work at the railway hub in Hamburg. During this time, passengers will need at least one transfer.

An additional complication is that on certain dates, work on the Danish side may lead to the replacement of part of the section between Hamburg and Copenhagen with buses or additional transfers. This does not cancel the significance of the new route, but changes the practical advice for tourists: if the trip falls in the second half of July or the first half of August, it is necessary to check not only the availability of tickets but also the actual movement scheme for the specific day.

For travelers with a tight schedule, this is especially important. If a cruise, flight, or paid excursion is planned in Copenhagen, it is advisable to leave a time buffer. If the trip is combined with a flight, it is useful to check the Copenhagen Airport online board or the Prague Airport online board in advance, and not to schedule the train arrival and flight departure close to each other.

Who Will Benefit Most from the Route

The most obvious audience for the new train is tourists who plan a trip to several cities. Prague and Copenhagen have very different tourist profiles: the first attracts with its historic center, architecture, gastronomy, and accessibility of Central Europe; the second with Scandinavian design, embankments, museums, family routes, and convenient transfers to other cities in Denmark and southern Sweden. Berlin and Hamburg add urban culture, museums, concerts, nightlife, and a strong hotel base to this route.

The route is also interesting for those who do not want or cannot fly often. These could be families with children, tourists with large luggage, passengers with bicycles, people who dislike airport procedures, or travelers for whom a lower carbon footprint is a conscious criterion for choice. For such trips, the railway provides a different rhythm: fewer checks, more time on the road, but also more opportunity to see the regions between cities.

Another group is passengers who combine the train with an overnight stay near the airport. For example, if the route begins or ends with a flight, a practical solution could be staying at Prague Airport, Berlin Brandenburg Airport, or Copenhagen Airport. This is not necessarily cheaper, but often reduces the risk of missing an early flight or losing a connection after a long journey.

What to Check Before Booking

Before buying a ticket for the new route, it is worth going through a short practical checklist. First, check the trip date considering the repairs in Hamburg. Second, see if the train is direct on your date, or if the system already offers transfers or a bus section. Third, evaluate the arrival time: an eleven-hour journey is convenient for a slow route, but not always suitable before an important evening event or an early flight the next day.

Fourth, it is important to check the rules for luggage, bicycles, and seats in the carriage. If the trip is long, it is better to book seats in advance, especially for families or groups. Fifth, do not compare the train price with a flight ticket based only on the basic fare. To a flight, luggage, transfer to the airport, time for security checks, and risks of delays in peak season are often added. To the train, transfers or an overnight stay may be added if the route is tied to a specific flight.

If the trip includes car rental after arrival, it is worth determining in advance where it is most convenient to take it: in the city center or near the airport. For routes with further trips in the region, pages with car rental at Prague Airport, Berlin Airport, or Copenhagen Airport may be appropriate, but for a purely urban trip, a car is often not needed.

What This Means for the Travel Market

The launch of the Prague - Berlin - Copenhagen route shows that the European tourist market is moving towards more flexible multimodal trips. Aviation remains key for long-haul and intercontinental directions, but within Europe, trains that connect city centers are becoming increasingly important. For tour operators, this is an opportunity to create routes without unnecessary internal flights. For independent tourists, it is a chance to build trips based on the logic of "several capitals in one vacation".

For the EU, this route is also a test. If it shows stable demand and acceptable quality of work despite complex infrastructure sections, other pilot projects will receive a stronger argument for development. If passengers encounter frequent changes, inconvenient transfers, or non-transparent booking, it will be a reminder that international rail requires not only new trains, but also coordinated schedules, clear tickets, and timely information in different languages.

Conclusion

The direct train Prague - Berlin - Copenhagen is important news for tourists who want to travel Europe without unnecessary transfers and short-haul flights. It connects three capitals, passes through strong tourist cities, and fits into a broader trend of railway routes between city centers. At the same time, the summer of 2026 requires careful planning: due to works in Hamburg, from July 18 to August 15, the direct format on part of the route will be interrupted, and on certain dates additional transfers or bus sections may be possible.

The best strategy for a traveler is to consider the new route as a strong opportunity, but not to book it mechanically. Check the actual schedule for a specific date, leave a time buffer before flights, carefully look at the ticket conditions, and think about whether you need an overnight stay near the station or airport. Then the new train can become not just a way to get from Prague to Copenhagen, and a full part of the European journey.

Material prepared based on reports from the European Commission, České dráhy, Deutsche Bahn, and dpa/WELT regarding the launch of the route, schedule, operators, and summer repair restrictions.