A high-speed train will soon bring travelers between Berlin and Paris in 7 hours

Deutsche Bahn AG / Sébastian North

• France and Germany's railway services will launch a high-speed direct route between Berlin and Paris in 2023.
• The seven-hour journey will be slower than the under two-hour direct flight.

A direct high-speed train between Paris and Berlin is now in progress with the promise of an efficient and eco friendly journey between the two major European cities.

Deutsche Bahn AG / Sébastian North

In late May, Germany's Deutsche Bahn (DB) and France's Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français (SNCF) announced plans for a nonstop service between the two countries' capitals, continuing the agencies' ongoing partnership.

Deutsche Bahn AG / Sébastian North

Source: DB

Germany and France's railway services already operate several daily trips across the countries' borders, including a route between Stuttgart, Germany and Paris.

Deutsche Bahn AG / Sébastian North

As of now, the services don't operate directly between Paris and Berlin.

Deutsche Bahn AG / Sébastian North

But this could change by December 2023, the targeted rollout of the new route, Jean-Pierre Farandou, the president of SNCP, told French news publication AFP.

Deutsche Bahn AG / Sébastian North

Source: The Guardian

The upcoming rail service may be high-speed, but don't expect it to travel faster than a plane: The journey between Berlin and Paris will be a lofty seven hours long, AFP reported.

Deutsche Bahn AG / Sébastian North

Source: The Guardian

This upcoming direct service will be much slower than the under two-hour direct flight, but it's still the "best alternative" to flight for both business and leisure travelers, Jean-Pierre Farandou, the president of SNCF, said in a statement.

Deutsche Bahn AG / Sébastian North

Source: DB

This upcoming service comes during a push and rise in train travel amid the ongoing climate crisis.

Deutsche Bahn AG / Sébastian North

While slower and sometimes more expensive, traveling by train is often considered a more environmentally friendly alternative to flight.

Deutsche Bahn AG / Sébastian North

Source: The Guardian