DUTCH open-access operator GoVolta will cease operating its daytime service between Amsterdam and Hamburg at the end of this month, concentrating instead on its Amsterdam - Berlin service where the frequency will be increased from three to six times a week.

GoVolta began operations on March 19, running three trains a week in both directions on the Amsterdam Central - Berlin Gesundbrunnen and Amsterdam Central - Hamburg Harburg routes. The Berlin train runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, with the Hamburg train running on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

From mid-May, the frequency of the Hamburg service will be reduced from three to two trains a week, with a replacement bus service provided for passengers who have already booked tickets. The Hamburg service will be withdrawn completely on May 29.

GoVolta says that the average occupancy of its Hamburg service is around 60%, which is insufficient for an open-access service operating on a wholly commercial basis.

Faustine Gauthier, head of operations and communications at GoVolta, told IRJ that Keolis Netherlands, which was originally due to provide traction for GoVolta in the Netherlands, was keen on operating the Hamburg service. It had however warned GoVolta that it would need to be willing to absorb losses on this route, and then pulled out of the project a few weeks before the start of operations.

“That made us decide to change our operations to six trains to Berlin per week,” Gauthier says, describing the Berlin service as "a huge success." The service frequency will increase on July 1, with trains operating every day except Tuesday, and from June 14 GoVolta will operate to and from Berlin Spandau instead of Gesundbrunnen. Traction in both the Netherlands and Germany is provided by Train Charter Services (TCS). 

GoVolta expects its competitive position to improve when the ICE high-speed service between Amsterdam and Berlin, jointly operated by German Rail (DB) and Netherlands Railways (NS), is disrupted by infrastructure maintenance work in Germany.

From October 2 2026 to December 12 2027, the Lehrte - Berlin Spandau section of the Hannover - Berlin high-speed line will be closed, with ICE services diverted via Hamburg and Ludwigslust. Operating via Braunschweig and Magdeburg, although not calling at these stations, GoVolta expects to be able to offer shorter journey times as well as lower fares, hoping for a major increase in ridership as a result.

Amsterdam - Paris

Meanwhile, GoVolta is continuing to prepare for the launch of its Amsterdam Central - Paris Nord service with the start of the 2027 timetable on December 13. Ticket sales are due to commence in the second half of this month.

In Belgium, the new service will be routed Antwerp Central, using the high-level terminal platforms where trains will reverse and change locomotives, as well as Ghent Sint-Pieters. Due to network congestion, infrastructure manager Infrabel has been unable to provide paths for GoVolta services to call at Kortrijk, but these have been requested for the 2028 timetable.

Similarly, French infrastructure manager SNCF Network has been unable to provide paths for the new GoVolta service to call at Tourcoing and/or Lille, and for 2027 GoVolta has submitted a request to call at Arras and Longueau on the main line to Paris. A request to call at a station in the Lille area has been submitted for the 2028 timetable.

For the new service, leasing company Assetoro has purchased a further batch of eight second class and two first class type I10 coaches from Belgian National Railways (SNCB). The entity in charge of maintenance (ECM) is Brouwer Technology of the Netherlands, which will maintain the coaches at its workshops in Blerick, near Venlo.