DANISH State Railways (DSB) put its first Talgo 230 trains into service between Copenhagen and Hamburg on November 3, one month after they were authorised for operation in Germany and Denmark.
Initially, a single train pair, operated in conjunction with German Rail (DB), will run between the two countries. EC396 departs Hamburg at 10.53, while in the opposite direction EC397 leaves Copenhagen at 14.11.
Five trains currently run daily in each direction between the two cities and a sixth daily service is due to be introduced at the end of March.
Eight out of 16 Talgo 230 trains, branded EuroCity by DSB, have already been delivered and these will be gradually phased in, replacing the existing fleet, with all six services expected to be operated using Talgo 230 trains by next spring. During the summer season, four additional trains per day in each direction will be offered seasonally, bringing the total to 10 daily return services between Hamburg and Copenhagen.
The 209m-long, 15-car trains will be hauled by DSB’s fleet of 200km/h Vectron locomotives and will triple passenger capacity, offering 492 seats compared with 136 in the older fleet. In 2026-27, the Talgo 230 trains will be extended to 16 cars with the addition of a driving trailer, which will then enable the trains to operate in push-pull mode.
"We have definitely reached a milestone.” says Jens Visholm, commercial director at DSB. “Between 2023 and 2024, the number of passengers from Denmark travelling abroad by train increased by 22% and the growth continues. So we look forward to welcoming many more passengers in our new trains."
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