Forget the $100 rail passes. How does crossing Europe for $11 sound?
The age of ultra-expensive train tickets and laughably-cheap airfares is behind us. Soon enough, exploring Europe by rail will be as affordable and accessible as getting that $9 Ryanair flight to Mallorca.
If you thought France’s SNCF or Germany’s Deutsche Bahn would have been the ones to finally have had a wake-up call, we’re sorry to inform you it’s none of the national railway operators: you might have never heard of it, but it’s Dutch rail startup GoVolta at the helm of a continent-wide revolution.
Promising affordable fares, guaranteed seating, and direct connections between major cities at truly competitive rates, they’ll officially launch in March 2026.
Not in some secondary route catering to European commuters and not tourists, but a mainline track linking two of Europe’s most vibrant capital cities, and for only $11:
Amsterdam To Berlin For Cheaper Than Your Shake Shack Lunch Deal
You read that right.
Starting this spring, you’ll be able to travel from Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, all the way to the sprawling Berlin, the administrative heart of Germany, with tickets starting at just €10 (or the equivalent in U.S. dollars).
It’s no wonder some travel publications are calling GoVolta the ‘Ryanair of the railways‘, and we’re inclined to agree: though there are direct connections between both cities already, operated either by the Dutch NS International or Deutsche Bahn, tickets average $127.
In other words, you’ll soon be able to travel on the exact same route while paying around 91% less. Granted, you shouldn’t expect the same level of comfort you’d get in a cushy Deutsche Bahn carriage, but for those on a budget, $11 is a fair trade-off for no Wi-Fi or onboard entertainment.
It’s the Ryanair of trains, you guys.
More On The Train Itself
The service will operate three times a week, before being upgraded to a daily route during summer, and in case you’re wondering tickets are already available to book, and they are indeed that cheap.
Head to the official GoVolta website to check it for yourself.
Now, it’s important to note that $11 is only a starting price. As you will notice once you browse the available dates, the most common fare ranges from $40 to $52—but hey, still an absolute steal considering the inflated fares you get on NS International.
Similar to budget airlines like Ryanair and Wizz Air, you should also know that the typical perks involving rail travel may not exactly apply here, or they may be severely curtailed:
So What’s The Catch?
For instance, a ‘Basic’ ticket does not allow you to choose your own seat, change your name for free in case you make any mistakes during the booking process, or bring a large suitcase on board. Yep, you’re only allowed an airline-style carry-on size luggage onboard.
We knew one day we’d mourn the day luggage limits on trains would come…
With a ‘Plus’ ticket, you can choose your own seat and modify your name for a $16.35 add-on. The full ticket, which embodies the usual perks of train travel, is called the ‘Premium’ package, and it includes all of the ‘Plus’ privileges, on top of unlimited travel date changes and a large suitcase.
GoVolta’s goal is to attract travelers who prefer trains over flying or driving, and to be fair, we can definitely see the appeal:
Between airports that are located 8–10 miles out of the city (if not 50 miles), complex booking systems, and constant delays (when has your flight ever actually left on time?), getting the train is a no-brainer.
The total journey is 6h46, and when you factor in airport transfer times, the long wait in security, and the long commute to and from downtown areas (airports are never in the heart of a city, remember?), travel times almost even themselves out.
Combine Your Train Ticket & Hotel Booking Into A Single Reservation
Besides individual tickets, GoVolta will offer ‘ready-made’ city break packages.
In simpler terms, you can combine train travel and hotel accommodation in a single booking.
In the words of co-founder Maarten Bastien, this will make rail travel feel ‘as straightforward as flying‘:
We’re not sure about you, but we’re completely sold on the idea of getting off the tram right in front of Amsterdam Centraal, and boarding a direct train to Berlin there and then, instead of then proceeding to take the regional train to Schiphol and having to deal with the whole airport circus.
Team train all the way. Oh, and we haven’t even discussed the actual train route yet!
Where Will The Train Stop?
In case you’ve been wondering, the train from Amsterdam to Berlin will call at the following stations:
- Amersfoort, Netherlands
- Deventer, Netherlands
- Hengelo, Netherlands
- Bad Bentheim, Germany
- Osnabrück, Germany
- Hannover, Germany
- Berlin, Germany
There will be a complimentary Amsterdam–Hamburg line, that will branch out northward at Hengelo, where the Berlin line travels eastward towards the German capital.
It’s worth noting that, although the new routes offer direct connections from the Netherlands to Berlin and Hamburg, journey times will be longer than existing high-speed alternatives.
The fastest trains from Amsterdam to Berlin takes 5h40, whereas the GoVolta alternative is a roughly an hour longer. That’s because GoVolta’s rolling stock has a maximum speed of 99.4 mph, whereas Deutsche Bahn’s ICE or the Eurostar services run on 186.4 mph.
Hey, no biggie. The ultra-low fares are still hard to beat in this scenario.
More Exciting Train Routes Launching In Europe This Year
If you’re heading to Europe this year and traveling by train, take a look at all of these exciting new routes set to open in the coming months:
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