GoVolta to Launch Amsterdam-Berlin and Amsterdam-Hamburg Rail Services

Dutch private rail operator GoVolta will begin operating two new cross-border passenger services in March 2025, connecting Amsterdam with Berlin and Hamburg as part of an ambitious expansion into European open-access rail travel.

The Amsterdam-Berlin service launches March 19, with the Amsterdam-Hamburg route following on March 20. Initially, trains will operate three days weekly—the Berlin service on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, while the Hamburg route runs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Daily services are planned from summer 2026.

The Berlin train departs Amsterdam at 08:34, stopping at Amersfoort, Deventer, Hengelo, Bad Bentheim, Osnabrück, and Hannover before reaching Berlin Gesundbrunnen at 15:20. The Hamburg service leaves at 08:05, following the same Dutch route before continuing to Bremen and Hamburg, arriving at 13:26.

GoVolta co-founders Hessel Winkelman and Maarten Bastian are targeting price-conscious travellers with 10% of seats available at €10, while remaining fares follow dynamic pricing. Passengers receive two pieces of hand luggage free, with charges for larger items. An XL Duo fare allows pairs to book extra space in the four-seat bay configuration.

Tickets are available through GoVolta's website and German Rail, though not from Netherlands Railways. Domestic travel within the Netherlands is prohibited on these services.

The operator has acquired 11 second-hand Belgian I10 coaches for €1 million each, investing an additional €2 million per vehicle for refurbishment. Belgian National Railways will supply 20 more coaches at similar prices.

Keolis Netherlands will provide operational staff under its safety certificate, with services hauled by a Siemens Vectron locomotive leased from Beacon Rail Capital Europe.

GoVolta plans further expansion, with an Amsterdam-Paris service scheduled for December 2026, followed by routes to Frankfurt, Munich, Basel, Bruges and Copenhagen, aiming to make cross-border rail travel simpler and more affordable.