This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
In Europe, investment has flowed into new lines designed to move people faster and add capacity. As a result, various new high-speed routes have opened in the past few years. Here are some to look out for.
1. Spain: Madrid-Gijón
Spain has led the way in high-speed rail in the past 20 years, despite economic woes along the way. It celebrated the opening of a new 213-mile line between Madrid and the northern principality of Asturias in 2023 following the completion a 30-mile stretch of mainly tunnels — including one that’s 15 miles long — that pass through the Cantabrian Mountains. Experts believe the line will increase train arrivals to Asturias from 230,000 to 600,000 each year. The journey to Gijón takes 3h42m. Tickets with Renfe Avlo, the Spanish no-frills service, cost from £44.
2. France: LGV Sud Europe Atlantique
Gare du Nord is the busiest railway station in Europe, a testament to the reliability of the French railway system. Photograph by Steve Tulley, Alamy
The 2017 opening of a new line between Tours and Bordeaux was game-changer for trips to the south-west wine region. Journey times between the two cities were cut by about 50 minutes, making Paris-Bordeaux possible in 2h3m. The TGV services are run by both SNCF inOui (from £45), the premium brand, and its budget sibling Ouigo (from £17). Seats on the latter don’t recline, there’s no buffet and no first class. Plans to extend the line to Toulouse and the Spanish border are on ice, with a 2029 opening now optimistic.
3. Spain: Madrid-Galicia Line
It was 20 years in the making, but in 2021, the 270-mile line connecting the capital to Ourense in Galicia opened. The final 64-mile section between Pedralba de la Pradería and Taboadela has 32 viaducts and 31 tunnels. Trains can run at up to 205mph and cut journey times by 1h28m to just 2h30m. New ‘next-generation’ Talgo Avril rolling stock debuted on the line earlier this year and feature seat-back entertainment and a buffet car, although the ‘ironing board’ seats have attracted complaints. Tickets from £18.
4. Germany: Berlin-Nuremberg Line
Cutting journey times between Berlin and Munich was the aim of the VDE 8 (Verkehrsprojekt Deutsche Einheit Nr. 8), pitting the train against car and plane. More than 143 miles of new track was laid, 27 tunnels bored and 37 viaducts constructed, cutting 2h30m off the journey time. The 186mph high-speed trains now connect the two hubs in less than four hours. The complete line, which opened in 2017, took more than 26 years of planning and construction. The ICE trains have dining cars, bar counter and wi-fi. Tickets from £43.
5. Turkey: Ankara-Sivas Line
One of the most significant rail projects to open in the past decade, the 250-mile Ankara to Sivas line was finished last year and cuts journey times from almost six hours to 2h30m. There are 49 tunnels and 53 viaducts, and trains can hit speeds of up to 155mph. New Siemens Velaro rolling stock was ordered for the line, with first, business and economy carriages as well as a bistro and seat-back entertainment (in first). A further six new lines are planned and, earlier this year, funding was secured for an 87-mile line between Yerköy and Kayseri, which will connect with the Ankara-Sivas line.
6. Spain: New operator from Madrid-Córdoba/Seville
Iryo, which launched in 2022, is a new entrant on Spain’s high-speed network and competes with Renfe, the national operator. It’s well established on Madrid to Zaragoza and Barcelona — helping push down prices — and has now started services between the capital and Córdoba (1h47m) and Seville (2h33m). Partly owned by Trenitalia, the Italian state-owned railway company, it uses the same Frecciarossa rolling stock. This is a budget service, but Iryo has won plaudits for its onboard food service that includes tapas and Spanish wines. Tickets from £20.
7. France: Ski train to the Alps
Eurostar is expanding its ski train services this winter, although the number of trains remains considerably below the pre-pandemic offering. Passengers board at London St Pancras then change trains in Lille before heading south to the Alps. It calls at Albertville, Moutiers and Bourg-Saint-Maurice, from which skiers can reach France’s biggest ski areas including the Three Valleys and Paradiski areas. The journey takes about seven hours. The latest stats show that just 2% of skiers took the train to the Alps last season, down from 6% before the pandemic. Services run outbound on Saturday and return on Sunday from 21 December until the end of February. Tickets from £139.
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