Trip Ideas Bus and Train Travel There Will Soon Be a Direct Train Between Paris and Berlin — What to Know Currently, train travelers between Paris and Berlin are required to transfer. By Alison Fox Alison Fox Alison Fox is a Travel + Leisure contributor. She has also written for Parents.com, The Wall Street Journal, and amNewYork. When she’s not in New York City, she can be found at the beach or on the slopes. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on May 31, 2022 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Andrew Holt/Getty Images A new high-speed, direct connection between Paris and Berlin is in the works, according to Germany's railway company Deutsche Bahn. The new train connection, which will directly link the two major European cities in 7 hours, is part of an agreement between Deutsche Bahn and French rail operator SNCF, according to the German company. "The high-speed traffic between Germany and France is an outstanding example of how attractive connections promote cross-border traffic by rail," Dr. Richard Lutz, the CEO of Deutsche Bahn, said in a statement. "I firmly believe in the great potential of the railways in and for Europe. Our planned new direct connection between the hearts of our two capitals will inspire even more people to travel by train." Currently, the only way to get from Berlin to Paris by train includes a transfer and takes around eight hours. The rail companies also offer 12 daily direct connections in each direction between France and Germany, including from Frankfurt to Paris, according to Deutsche Bahn. As of now, the fastest connection is from Stuttgart in Germany to Paris, which takes about 3 hours and 10 minutes. "Our two companies have been working together for 15 years in a unique partnership in which we combine our know-how to get the best out of German and French high-speed transport," Jean-Pierre Farandou, the president of SNCF, said in the statement. "In view of the climate crisis, rail is the mode of transport par excellence and offers the best alternative for business and leisure travel between our two countries." The new direct train is expected to launch by the end of 2023, AFP reported. To start, there will be one return trip per day. High-speed trains are a great way to get across Europe with travelers even able to buy a Eurail pass for travel across the continent. Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.