The Berlin–Munich high-speed railway is a 623km (387miles) high-speed rail line connecting the German cities of Berlin, Leipzig, Erfurt, Nuremberg, and Munich. The line was opened on 10 December 2017.[1] The line was first planned in 1991 as part of the "Travel Project for German Unity" - a scheme of linking up east and west German travel infrastructure after reunification.[1] About two million passengers traveled the route in its first year of operation, exceeding the expectation of the rail operator Deutsche Bahn.[2]
The new line reduced travel time by train between Berlin and Munich from 6 hours to currently 3 hours and 45 minutes.[3] [4]
Construction began in 1996 and cost about €10 billion ($11.8 billion),[5] making it the most expensive transport project in Germany since reunification.[6] The line traverses the Thuringian Forest and required the construction of 22 tunnels and 29 bridges.[7]