Budget superfast train will be launched in Germany

A new rail route connecting Berlin and Cologne passing through Hamburg is planned to be launched in Germany. The new train, which is scheduled to be presented in autumn 2012, combines two qualities. It is the first superfast budget train in the country.

Budget travels on superfast train will be offered by the MSM company. Its customers will be able to buy tickets for the high-speed train for only 19 Euros.

Currently the cheapest train tickets are offered by the Deutsche Bahn network and for 29 Euros. According to the German version of Financial Times annual Deutsche Bahn, income from exploitation of superfast trains is about 3.8 billion Euros.

It is difficult to predict the success of new MSM project. It will be difficult to compete with Deutsche Bahn on an already busy area as now the largest German railway monopoly serves over 40 directions on the route Berlin-Cologne via Hamburg. According to the Local.de publication MSM is going to launch only two trains a day.

At the same MSM expects to gain significant advantage over its main competitor. So, thanks to the mandatory seat reservation passengers of MSM trains will not have to stand during the travel as it often occurs when using high-speed ICE and IC trains from Deutsche Bahn.

MSM company also reported that the travel time between Hamburg and Cologne will be about 5 hours. Today the fastest Deutsche Bahn train passes the similar distance for four hours.

MSM is one of the few German companies, which managed to gain experience in successful competition with the main railway monopoly in Germany. In particular, MSM was able to establish a profitable transport line between cities in the Ruhr Valley and ski resorts in Austria.