Germany and the United Kingdom are resuming efforts to create a direct rail link between Berlin and London. German Transport Minister Patrick Schneider and his British counterpart Heidi Alexander signed a declaration in Hamburg, setting up a working group to clarify the remaining unresolved issues, DPA reports, quoted by BTA.
“We are committed to ensuring that the first trains can travel directly from Germany to the United Kingdom under the English Channel in the coming years“, said Schneider. He said that issues related to border control and security checks should be clarified in cooperation with infrastructure operators and railway companies.
Alexander described the document as an innovative declaration with the potential to provide a convenient alternative to air transport. According to her, the direct rail connection will open up new opportunities for tourism, business and cultural exchange, create jobs and strengthen trade ties between the two countries.
Currently, train travel between Germany and the UK is only possible with a change - most often in Brussels or Paris, with Deutsche Bahn offering up to ten connections per day via Brussels. The idea of direct trains has existed for years, but so far only high-speed passenger trains of the company Eurostar have been running through the Channel Tunnel.
“A continuous connection would make travel extremely easier and would significantly increase the attractiveness of rail transport“, Schneider stressed.