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What if you could cross Europe by train for the price of a bus ticket, or even less? That's the (very) ambitious promise of GoVolta, a new company that aims to break the railways' codes with tickets from €10. Amsterdam - Berlin, Hamburg, and soon Paris... These low-cost trains could well change the way you travel around Europe without blowing your budget (or your carbon footprint). So, is this a real revolution or just an announcement? Prices, routes, dates, comfort: we explain it all!
GoVolta is a new Dutch rail company aiming to revolutionize rail travel in Europe. Its aim is to offer international journeys at very low prices, with a model inspired by low-cost airlines. In concrete terms, this means tickets from €10, connections without connections and simplified booking.
Launched by entrepreneurs from the rail tourism sector, notably linked to GreenCityTrip, the start-up has a clear ambition: to make trains more accessible and compete with air travel on European routes.
The great novelty of GoVolta trains is that they promise to break international train prices, often considered too expensive. And if they succeed, rail could become an even more credible (and competitive) alternative to air travel on certain routes.
This arrival is part of a broader trend: the development of low-cost trains in Europe. In France with OUIGO, in Spain with Avlo and in Germany with FlixTrain, several operators have already tried to slash prices. But GoVolta seems to be going one step further by directly attacking international trains, which are still not very accessible at low cost today.
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GoVolta adopts a low-cost model:
An approach already well known in the airline industry, but even rarer on international trains.
To offer these prices, GoVolta has made several choices: using old but renovated rolling stock, running at lower speeds than high-speed trains, and adopting an option model, where certain services are subject to a charge.
The first lines connect :
With intermediate stops such as Hanover and Bremen.
The first trains will run from March 2026:
Initially, just a few trains a week, gradually ramping up to daily service in time.
GoVolta is aiming to open a Paris - Amsterdam route by the end of 2026. A highly anticipated opening, especially on the French side! We'll keep you posted as soon as there's any news. And if you don't want to miss out on the latest news, don't hesitate to subscribe to La Locomissive, our free bi-monthly newsletter (with low-carbon travel tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox every other Thursday):
GoVolta is already planning to expand its network to include :
The aim is to build a truly European low-cost network.
Tickets are advertised from €10, but in practice, the first prices observed tend to be around €19, with an average of around €30.
As with air travel, prices vary widely according to demand, booking date and train occupancy. So, as is often the case with low-cost airlines, it's best to book early to take advantage of the best prices. What is the average price of a GoVolta ticket?
Most tickets are expected to cost between €20 and €40, with options available to increase the price. One thing to bear in mind, however: at this stage, the model is still in the launch phase, and its success will depend in particular on its ability to deliver on price and regularity.
The basic ticket includes :
This is a real plus, especially when compared to certain rail offers without reservations.
As in air travel, several options are available:
Tickets are available online via the official GoVolta. A word of advice: as always, book as early as possible to take advantage of the best prices.
The trains used are refurbished 80s cars. No luxury, but decent comfort, with the aim of offering low prices.
GoVolta trains are slower than high-speed trains: slightly longer journey times than high-speed trains (around one hour). For example, a trip from Amsterdam to Berlin could take around 6h30 to 7h, compared with 5h30 to 6h on a high-speed train.
An interesting option for long journeys.
On paper, GoVolta ticks all the boxes: ultra-attractive prices, international routes, alternative to air travel on certain routes... Enough to make you want to jump on the train without hesitation.
In practice, you'll have to accept a few compromises: slower trains, simpler comfort, and a model that's still young. But if the promise is kept, GoVolta could well democratize train travel in Europe as never before. And for that reason alone, it's definitely worth a look.
Issue du monde de la communication et des médias, Sophie est Responsable éditoriale chez HOURRAIL ! depuis août 2024. Elle est notamment derrière le contenu éditorial du site ainsi que La Locomissive (de l'inspiration voyage bas carbone et des bons plans, un jeudi sur deux, gratuitement dans ta boîte mail !).
Convaincue que les changements d’habitude passent par la transformation de nos imaginaires, elle s’attache à montrer qu’il est possible de voyager autrement, de manière plus consciente, plus lente et plus joyeuse. Son objectif : rendre le slow travel accessible à toutes et tous, à travers des astuces, des décryptages et surtout, de nouveaux récits.
