Eurostar-style train to directly connect UK with Berlin and two more cities
And now, if you're looking for a greener way to travel to the German capital, plans for a direct train from London have been announced – and it could significantly chop journey times.
Last week, Keir Starmer signed a 'first of its kind' treaty with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, which, as well as strengthening the relationship between the UK and Germany, also plans to establish a direct route between the capital and three German cities.
Building the Eurostar-style links between London, Frankfurt and Cologne will be first on the list, while Berlin will be the final stop added across the roughly decade-long plan.
At the moment, those looking to travel between the two cities need to take a Eurostar train from St Pancras to Bruxelles-Midi, changing for a service to Cologne and, finally, to Berlin Hauptbahnhof.
While there are undoubtedly stunning views along the way, it takes between 10 and 11 hours door-to-door. Frankfurt isn't much better, as it can take up to nine hours, though it's hoped that the new route will shorten this to around five.
This isn't the first time officials have looked at establishing a direct route between London and Frankfurt.
In 2010, Deutsche Bahn tried (and failed) with proposals for the Inter City Express, but it shelved the plans after it encountered a mass of red tape and complications, including differences in train voltage, crossing borders and even tunnels.
While we don't have any specifics right now, the plans have the potential to change how millions of people travel between the UK and Germany, with an estimated 3,200,000 Brits having visited in 2023.
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said that the government is 'determined to put Britain at the heart of a better-connected continent,' describing it as a 'landmark agreement.'
'A new task force will bring our nations closer together and create new opportunities for tourism, business and cultural exchange, building on a landmark deal we signed earlier this year to explore introducing direct services to Switzerland,' she added.
And, as well as improving the transport links between the two, it's hoped that the London-Berlin line will support the economy in creating jobs and strengthen existing trade links, both of which are 'central' to the UK's 'Plan for Change.'
Need inspiration on how to fill your time once your train arrives?
Berlin is famous for its nightlife scene – but be warned, the Berghain is notoriously difficult to get into. Rumour has it that if you wear all-black, your chances of getting in are higher.
If you don't manage to charm the bouncers, though, there's also the famous KitKat, a hedonistic sex club complete with a swimming pool and countless sex swings, or more PC options available at SchwuZ and Sisyphos.
If you do go out on a Friday, though, you could end up partying until Monday, as the famous Berlin clubbing mantra goes.
First opening its doors in 1985, the Schwules Museum (AKA, the Gay Museum) has long been a mainstay for documenting LGBTQ+ life.
Found in one of the city's historic queer neighbourhoods, Regenbogenkiez is known as the Rainbow District, and has been a hub for LGBTQ+ Berliners since the 1910s.
Writer Christopher Isherwood famously moved to Berlin in 1929, and local theatre Metropol (formerly the Neues Schauspielhaus) was a favourite haunt of his.
Later transformed into the club, throughout the 1980s it was frequented by the likes of Depeche Mode, Morrissey, and the Human League.
When it comes to foodie spots, if you're after a life-changing Currywurst, you'll be sure to find it at Konnopke's Imbiß, which started off as a sausage cart and later went on to serve East Berlin's first Currywurst in 1960. And of course, Burgermeister is known for its mouthwatering menu. If you want our recommendation, it has to be the chilli-cheeseburger.
History buffs will be well acquainted with Checkpoint Charlie, a central crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin throughout the Cold War that famously appeared in multiple spy films, including James Bond's Octopussy and The Spy Who Came In From The Cold.
While the final crossing between the two divided cities was made in June 1990, these days it's possible to visit the original booth that stood there at the Allied Museum. A photograph of a US soldier towers above the site, and there's more information on display at the Mauer (which means wall in German) Museum, as well as the Trabi Museum and Cold War BlackBox. More Trending
Housed inside the former home of the East German secret police, the Stasi Museum displays the various objects used by the Stasi to control the residents of the DDR, including bugs, hidden cameras, and propaganda.
A hugely emotive experience, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe documents the horror of the Nazi regime.
The granite network is comprised of 2,711 concrete slabs measuring 19,000 square metres, with each stone remembering the 6,000,000 Jewish people who were murdered during the Holocaust.
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.
MORE: Our Travel Editors' picks of underrated destinations in the easyJet summer 2026 sale
MORE: Fans slam 'atrocious' immersive Elvis Presley show with tickets up to £300
MORE: I stayed in one of Europe's grandest hotels — a time warp of Old World glamour
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
4 minutes ago
- The Sun
Donald Trump slams ‘invasion' of migrants ‘killing' Europe & tells leaders ‘get your act together' as he lands in UK
DONALD Trump said the "invasion" of migrants is "killing" Europe as he told the leaders to "get their act together" after landing in the UK. The MAGA prez touched down on Air Force One in Scotland this evening for a four-day visit - his first visit to the UK since his re-election. 4 4 4 He is expected to visit his golf resorts at Turnberry on the Ayrshire coast and Menie in Aberdeenshire over the weekend. The president was greeted by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray before speaking to reporters. But when asked about illegal immigration, Trump said a "horrible invasion" was taking place in Europe which needs to stop. Don said: "On immigration, you better get your act together. 'You're not going to have Europe anymore, you've got to get your act together. 'As you know, last month we had nobody entering our country – nobody, [we] shut it down.' He added: 'You've got to stop this horrible invasion that's happening to Europe.' Trump, who made a crackdown on illegal immigration a major policy in his second term at the White House, boasted: "Last month we had nobody entering our country." Trump's comments come as Sir Keir Starmer faces enormous pressure to tackle illegal immigration in the UK. In Labour's first six months in office, there was a 29 per cent increase in arrivals compared to the previous year. Migrants REFUSING to leave luxury taxpayer-funded hotels forcing Home Office crackdown From election day to the end of 2024, 23,242 migrants arrived to enjoy bed and board on the taxpayer. In 2025 — so far — another 21,117 have crossed, up a staggering 56 per cent compared to 2024 and a shocking 75 per cent higher than in 2023. Labour has vowed to end the use of asylum hotels by the 2029 election, in part by moving migrants to cheaper forms of taxpayer-funded accommodation. But just days ago, Sir Keir sparked uproar by claiming there was plenty of spare housing for both illegal migrants and homeless Brits. Meanwhile, a four-star hotel in London's flash financial district Canary Wharf was set up to receive hundreds of new migrants. The latest batch of small boat migrants who have illegally landed are ready to be hosted in style to the tune of £5.5million a day. Mr Trump also suggested he would be meeting Sir Keir 'tomorrow evening', although it is understood the pair will not meet until Monday. He praised him ahead of a meeting between the two at one of his courses in the coming days, describing him as a 'good man'. 'I like your Prime Minister, he's slightly more liberal than I am – as you probably heard – but he's a good man. He got a trade deal done,' he said. As well as the Prime Minister, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is also set to meet Trump. She confirmed on X that she will come to Scotland on Sunday in a bid to hash out a trade deal between the US and Europe. It comes after Trump s lapped Europe with a whopping 30 per cent tariff set to hit the EU from August. But he told journalists today there was a 'good 50/50 chance' of a deal being struck, adding that it would be the 'biggest deal of them all'. The president and Sir Keir are expected to discuss potential changes to the UK-US trade deal which came into force last month. After years watching Channel migrant crisis unfold Brits have just about snapped – and it's killing Starmer Opinion by Jack Elsom, Political Editor CAST your mind back to Christmas 2018 when a few dozen migrants clambered into rickety dinghies off the French coast and headed for Britain. Then-Home Secretary Sajid Javid flew back early from his family holiday to declare a 'major incident', MPs called for the Navy to be deployed and the public rightly demanded action. You don't need me to tell you what happened next: over the next seven years 174,000 more would-be asylum seekers crossed the English Channel. Billions of pounds of taxpayer cash have been ploughed into snapping up hotels for them to live in, with free bed and board. The lives of vulnerable men, women and children have been tragically lost. And families feeling the pinch have watched agog as successive governments throw good money after bad. Yesterday's revelation that thousands of asylum seekers have been gambling with money from taxpayer-funded pre-paid cards was shocking. But in many ways what is more depressing is that nobody is even really surprised any more. Read the full piece here.
Scottish Sun
33 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Are you on the state pension cliff edge and is the triple lock safe? Experts reveal what YOU need to do
We explain what a huge state pension review could mean for you PENSION TENSION Are you on the state pension cliff edge and is the triple lock safe? Experts reveal what YOU need to do MILLIONS of Brits could work for longer after the government announced a review of the state pension age this week. Chancellor Rachel Reeves says a review is needed to keep the state pension system 'sustainable and affordable'. 5 A huge review into the state pension is going ahead as concerns grow over the affordability of the system Credit: Getty 5 The current State Pension costs the Treasury around £125 billion a year Credit: Getty The current State Pension costs the Treasury around £125 billion a year – and it's only going to go up as we all live longer. The triple lock promise, which guarantees that the state pension increases in line with inflation, wages or 2.5%, is expected to hit £15.5billion a year by 2030. Blathnaid Corless and Ruth Jackson-Kirby explains what is happening and what YOU should do now. What is happening? The state pension age - when you can start claiming - is currently 66. It is rising to 67 by 2028 and 68 by 2046. A new review means the rise could be accelerated and the state pension age could even rise to 69 or 70. The government reviews the state pension age every six years and the next review was due in 2029 - but will now come in 2027. Rachel Vahey, head of public policy at AJ Bell, said: "An increase to the state pension age from 66 to 67 is already slated to happen between 2026 and 2028. "But it's less clear what will happen after that. "There is also an increase to age 68 pencilled in for 2046, but a faster increase is definitely on the cards. "The first two reviews of the state pension age advocated bringing this forward, but successive governments have treated the issue like a hot potato." The government has also asked the Pensions Commission to tackle a savings crisis faced by retirees, including how much is saved via minimum auto-enrollment contributions and how to help self-employed people. Hargreaves Lansdown head of retirement Helen Morrissey, said: 'The concern is that many people are not saving enough and risk not having enough in retirement.' When will I get the state pension? The big question is whether the move to a state pension age of 68 will be brought forward. Any changes could mean people in their mid-50s being left facing a gap between when they planned to retire and when they can start claiming their state pension. For anyone under 55, it means that you will have to factor in working longer into your retirement plan. 5 Chancellor Rachel Reeves says a review is needed to keep the state pension system 'sustainable and affordable' Credit: AFP Former pensions minister and LCP partner Steve Webb said: 'The most likely change in the short to medium term is getting to 68 sooner, as this has been recommended by two previous reviews of state pension age.' A previous review, called the Cridland Review, recommended that the rise to 68 should be brought forward. Whatever happens the government must give at least 10 years notice of any increase to the state pension age. If the state pension age rises to 68 earlier than planned, people born in the early 1970s could lose out on £17,340, based on the state pension rising 2.5 per cent each year, according to AJ Bell. You can see when you will get the state pension as planned by using our Sun Club tool at 5 Anyone under 48 years old will almost certainly have a state pension age of 68 'We're relying on the pension... and now it's going to be pushed back and back' NICOLA Jones, 58, gave up her job as a mental health worker last year to become a full-time carer for her partner Tracy, 54, who has MS. The couple say they're very worried about potential changes to the state pension age, which they're hoping will ease the financial strain of living solely off benefits including Universal Credit and Carer's Allowance, which give them a joint monthly income of £1118.67. While Nicola will not be affected by the predicted changes, Tracy probably will. 'We're on the bread line as it is because I'm a full time carer and we have no savings. We keep hearing that people should be saving towards their pension, but we can't do that,' Nicola said. 'We're really struggling as it is, and we would rely on the pension coming in and just easing our life really and just making it less stressful, and now it's going to get pushed back and back - I mean, I've heard it could be going up to 70.' Is the triple lock safe? Raising the state pension age isn't the only way the government could cut its retirement bill - it could look at the triple lock. It has been a brilliant support to pensioners against inflation but at a huge cost to government finances. The government has ruled out axing the triple lock guarantee before the end of the current Parliament, which will be in July 2029 at the latest. Ms Morrisey said: 'Over the longer term we may well see the triple lock evolve - one option could be for it to move towards being a double lock instead.' Calum Cooper, head of Pensions Policy Innovation at Hymans Robertson, said: 'We estimate it should be replaced in the 2030s – it's a question of when, not if.' Another option could be looking at making it means tested - but this is unlikely, suggests Steve Webb. But he adds: 'Other changes could include increasing the number of years of contributions needed for a full pension'. At present you need 35 years to get the full state pension. 5 Is your pension about to be taxed? Another problem facing future pensioners is tax. You can earn up to £12,570 before you have to start paying income tax. That's your Personal Allowance. The full state pension is £11,973 a year – just £597 below that threshold. With the Personal Allowance frozen until at least 2028 millions of pensioners are heading towards paying tax on a state benefit. It's a looming political disaster that any government will want to avoid. What should you do now? The planned shake-up to rules shows that 'relying on the state pension alone for your retirement income is risky', says Rachel Vahey. 'If you're forced to wait a year or two to claim it, you'll either need to work longer or find tens of thousands of pounds extra from your pension and private savings to plug the gap,' she adds. If you're approaching retirement and concerned about your savings, she suggests downsizing your home to free up cash, or moving into another job, possibly part-time. 'The best way to give yourself freedom to retire on your own terms is to build up your private pension pot,' she says. Even if you're not yet approaching retirement, you should keep an eye on your pension savings so you know what you're on track to receive and can work out if you need to increase your contributions, Ms Morrisey added. 'Taking small steps like increasing your contribution to your private pension every time you get a pay increase or new role can make a big difference to what you end up with in retirement.' You should also make sure you haven't lost track of any old pensions from previous jobs, as you could be missing out on thousands of pounds. If you have lost track of a pension, you can use the government's pension tracing service to track it down, either by phone or at You can also use Gretel, a free online service that takes minutes to sign up. 'Once you've got a true idea of how much you have saved then you can make a plan to move towards the kind of retirement you want,' Ms Morrisey adds. For a single person looking for a 'moderate retirement' later in life, which would allow you to have a two-week holiday in Europe, a long weekend break in the UK, some eating out, as well as the ability to run a small car, you'll need to have a single annual income of £26,129, according to Hargreaves Lansdown. The State Pension isn't going to disappear or change overnight but pressure is building, and the current benefit is unsustainable. 'There's no doubt that making sure you have a good private pension is the best protection against future changes which make the state pension less generous,' concludes Webb.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
US president Donald Trump arrives in Scotland for four-day visit
US president Donald Trump said "it's great to be in Scotland" as he landed for a four-day private Air Force One touched down at Prestwick Airport, just before 20:30, the US president was met by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray and Warren Stephens, US Ambassador to the spoke to journalists before the presidential motorcade left for his Turnberry resort, in South Ayrshire, where he is expected to play golf on about Sir Keir Starmer, who he is due to meet on Monday, he said: "I like your prime minister. He's slightly more liberal than I am - as you probably heard - but he's a good man. He got a trade deal done." Trump added: "You know, they've been working on this deal for 12 years, he got it done - that's a good deal, it's a good deal for the UK."The president earlier also described Scotland's First Minister John Swinney as "a good man" and said he was looking forward to meeting has pledged to "essentially speak out for Scotland". The motorcade - which contained more than two dozen vehicles - entered Trump's Turnberry golf resort at about 21:30, flanked by Police Scotland vehicles and ambulance he arrived at the resort, the president's vehicle - known as The Beast - passed a small group of will stay at Turnberry over the weekend before heading to his second property in Aberdeenshire, where he will open a new 18-hole course at Menie."Sean Connery helped get me the permits - if it weren't for Sean Connery we wouldn't have those great courses," he said, referring to the Scottish actor he said helped him get planning permission for the courses. Trump is expected to meet Starmer and Swinney on Monday while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed on X that she will meet the president on Sunday to discuss transatlantic trade will travel back to the US on Tuesday and is due to return to the UK for an official state visit in September.A number of protests are expected to be held to coincide with the visit, including demonstrations in Edinburgh and Aberdeen on Saturday. A major security operation has been under way in South Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire this week, ahead of the president's of officers have also been drafted in to support Police Scotland, under mutual aid arrangements, from other UK closures and diversions have been put in place in Turnberry, while a security checkpoint outside the resort and a large fence has been erected around the course.A number of police vans have also been seen at the Menie site. Speaking to journalists at Prestwick, Trump said European countries need to "get your act together" on migration, and "stop the windmills", referring to wind said: "I say two things to Europe: Stop the windmills. You're ruining your countries. I really mean it, it's so sad."You fly over and you see these windmills all over the place, ruining your beautiful fields and valleys and killing your birds, and if they're stuck in the ocean, ruining your oceans."Stop the windmills, and also, I mean, there's a couple of things I could say, but on immigration, you'd better get your act together or you're not going to have Europe anymore."In 2019, his company Trump International lost a long-running court battle to stop a major wind power development being built in the North Sea off Aberdeen. Trump argued that the project, which included 11 wind turbines, would spoil the view from his golf course at Menie. Trump also claimed that illegal migration was an "invasion" which was "killing Europe".He said: "Last month, we (the United States) had nobody entering our country. Nobody. Shut it down. And we took out a lot of bad people that got there with (former US president Joe) Biden."Biden was a total stiff, and what he allowed to happen.... but you're allowing it to happen to your countries, and you've got to stop this horrible invasion that's happening to Europe; many countries in Europe."Some people, some leaders, have not let it happen, and they're not getting the proper credit they should."I could name them to you right now, but I'm not going to embarrass the other ones."But stop: this immigration is killing Europe." Quizzed on the latest developments with the Epstein files and Ghislaine Maxwell's interview with the Department of Justice, Trump said he had "really nothing to say about it"."A lot of people are asking me about pardons obviously - this is no time to be talking about pardons."He said the media was "making a very big thing out of something that's not a big thing".Earlier, Chancellor Rachel Reeves told reporters the US president's visit to Scotland was in the "national interest".Speaking during a visit to the Rolls-Royce factory, near Glasgow Airport, she said: "The work that our Prime Minister Keir Starmer has done in building that relationship with President Trump has meant that we were the first country in the world to secure a trade deal."Reeves added that it had a "tangible benefit" for people in Scotland, from the Scotch whisky industry to the defence sector."Swinney said his meeting with Trump would present an opportunity to "essentially speak out for Scotland" on issues such as trade and the increase of business from the United States in first minister said he would also raise "significant international issues" including "the awfulness of the situation in Gaza".And he urged those set to protest against the president's visit to do so "peacefully and to do so within the law". Visits to Scotland by sitting US presidents are Elizabeth hosted Dwight D Eisenhower at Balmoral in Aberdeenshire in 1957. George W Bush travelled to Gleneagles in Perthshire for a G8 summit in 2005 and Joe Biden attended a climate conference in Glasgow in only other serving president to visit this century is Trump himself in 2018 when he was met by protesters including one flying a paraglider low over Turnberry, breaching the air exclusion zone around the returned in 2023, two-and-a-half years after he was defeated by Biden. Trump does have a genuine link to Gaelic-speaking mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, was born in 1912 on the island of Lewis in Scotland's Outer Hebrides and left during the Great Depression for New York where she married property developer Fred son's return to Scotland for four days this summer comes ahead of an official state visit from 17-19 September when the president and First Lady Melania Trump will be hosted by King Charles at Windsor Castle in Berkshire.
