The Italian high-speed train operator Italo plans to begin running services on German tracks starting in April 2028, using distinctive blue trains to challenge Deutsche Bahn’s ICE services.
Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo announced this to the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”. According to the plans, the initial fleet will consist of 30 new Siemens Velaro trains, which are also used as the basis for the ICE trains. Montezemolo, a figure known for his time as CEO of Ferrari, stated that the company anticipates running 56 daily connections. The proposed routes include services operating at a one-hour interval between Munich, Cologne, and Dortmund, and another set every two hours connecting Munich, Berlin, and Hamburg.
In total, the Italians plan to invest €3.6 billion in this project. This figure includes a comprehensive maintenance agreement with Siemens spanning more than 30 years. To establish operations in Germany, Italo will create an independent company under German management through its already established subsidiary, Atrium SE. Furthermore, the manager anticipates the creation of 2,500 new jobs in service and operation, and plans to involve more than 5,000 industrial workers in the production of the trains, primarily located in North Rhine-Westphalia.
However, Montezemolo stressed that the entire multi-billion euro plan is conditioned on the long-term allocation of network capacities. Italo requires certainty regarding this capacity by the end of May, with the planned recruitment of German employees beginning in June. Montezemolo expressed confidence that introducing competition into the German market would lead to better service standards and lower prices, citing that after Italo introduced high-speed services in Italy, average train ticket prices had dropped by 40%.