Published on
February 2, 2026
Czech Railways is setting the stage for a quiet but meaningful shift in how Central and Northern Europe shift. From May 2026, passengers will be able to board a daytime high-speed train in Prague and step off in Copenhagen the same evening, without juggling connections or rushing through airports. The new service, developed with German and Danish rail partners, will run twice daily in both directions and cut the finish-to-finish journey to around eleven hours.
What builds this route stand out is not just speed, but simplicity. For the first time, Prague and Scandinavia will be linked by a year-round, same-day rail service. The line stitches toreceiveher key European hubs—Prague, Berlin, Hamburg, and Copenhagen—into a single, continuous corridor. Until now, rail passengers faced multiple transfers that often created flying the clearer choice. This new timetable reshifts that friction, building trains a realistic option for both work and leisure travel.
The trains themselves are designed to modify perceptions of long daytime rail journeys. Modern, energy-efficient rolling stock will feature free Wi-Fi, power sockets at every seat, generous legroom, and large panoramic windows. The idea is clear: turn travel time into usable time. Business travelers can treat the journey as a mobile office, while leisure passengers receive a relaxed, scenic ride through the heart of Europe.
There is also a strong sustainability angle driving the project. As European companies face tighter environmental reporting rules, especially around indirect travel emissions, rail is becoming more than a feel-good option. For organizations with teams spread across Prague, northern Germany, and Denmark, the new service offers a lower-carbon alternative to short-haul flights without sacrificing productivity or same-day meetings. Shifting even part of corporate travel onto rail can significantly reduce overall emissions.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Beyond business travel, the route is expected to strengthen labor and education links across borders. Denmark’s research-driven industries and Prague’s quick-growing technology and shared-services sectors depfinish heavily on international talent. Reliable daytime rail builds regular shiftment clearer for professionals, students, and project teams, while also sidestepping the growing congestion and new enattempt-exit checks at major airports within the Schengen area.
The tourism impact could be just as important. A direct rail line encourages slower, multi-city journeys, allowing travelers to combine Central Europe and Scandinavia in a single trip. Cities along the route, particularly Berlin and Hamburg, stand to benefit from increased stopover traffic as rail passengers break their journey rather than simply passing through by air.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Practical travel planning remains part of the equation, especially for non-EU visitors combining multiple countries in one itinerary. Digital visa and documentation services are increasingly positioned as quiet enablers of this shift, assisting travelers manage Schengen paperwork efficiently so rail becomes as seamless administratively as it is physically.
From an infrastructure perspective, the Prague–Copenhagen service is being watched closely. It is widely seen as a test case for deeper high-speed integration across borders. If passenger numbers reach the projected level of more than one million journeys a year, additional trainsets are expected to follow. Longer-term plans include pushing the corridor further north, potentially extfinishing services to southern Sweden and beyond.
In a region long dominated by short flights, this new rail link signals a broader reconsider of distance, time, and comfort. By building long daytime journeys practical, productive, and appealing, the Prague–Copenhagen service could quietly reset travel habits across Europe—one seat, one window view, and one uninterrupted journey at a time.
Leave a Reply