Starline project: a “European metro” to revolutionize travel in Europe by 2040
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Published on 5/7/25, modified on 4/3/26
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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 €19. Amsterdam - Berlin, Hamburg, and soon Paris... These low-cost trains could well change the way you travel in 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 open-access rail company that aims to revolutionize train 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 €19, connections without connections and simplified booking.
Launched by Maarten Bastian and Hessel Winkelman, two entrepreneurs already active in rail tourism, the start-up has a clear ambition: to make trains more accessible and compete with air travel on European routes. Note: the founders were also behind GreenCityTrip (since sold to European Sleeper), and are still linked to the Flywise travel agency, which now offers train + hotel packages at attractive prices!
The great novelty of GoVolta trains is their promise to break international train prices, often considered too expensive. And the early results look promising: on its first run, one train was fully booked with over 600 passengers on board, after more than 40,000 tickets had been sold in advance.
As co-founder Maarten Bastian sums it up: "We believe that international rail travel should be affordable, comfortable and accessible to all. Today, we're proving that it can be done."
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 is going one step further by directly attacking international rail travel, which is 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 and adopting a model with options.
The first lines connect :
With intermediate stops such as Amersfoort, Deventer, Hengelo and Hanover.
The first trains will run from March 2026:
At launch, frequency remains limited to a few round trips per week (three rotations per week on each route). The goal is daily service between Amsterdam and Berlin by July 2026.
GoVolta plans to launch a direct Amsterdam - Paris route as early as December 2026, with an average round-trip price announced at around €50. An eagerly awaited opening, especially on the French side!
We'll be sure to keep you posted. 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 (low-carbon travel tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox every other Thursday):
In the longer term, the operator plans to extend its network to :
with the ambition of building a truly affordable European rail network.
Tickets are advertised from €10, but in practice, the first prices observed tend to be around €19, with an average of around €30. In reality, most journeys should cost between €20 and €40.
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.
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:
These services are available at extra cost, generally starting at around 15 euros depending on the options.
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.
For information, reservations already cover a large part of the year 2026 on certain lines.
Good to know: GoVolta also offers offers combining train and accommodation in line with its positioning close to the tour operator.
In line with their positioning, GoVolta also offers packages combining train + 2-night 3-star hotel from €199, via their link with the Flywise agency. A direct inheritance from their past experience in rail tour operating.
Benjamin Martinie
The trains are made up of renovated cars from the 1980s, with a maximum speed of around 160 km/h. Each train can accommodate over 800 passengers and includes a bar car. No luxury, but decent comfort, with the aim of keeping prices low!
The return of Benjamin - aka Tolt - who tested for you: "On board, you'll find an Economy class and a Comfort class. The seats are, frankly, quite comfortable, but be warned, there are only two sockets at the ends of each car, and no dining car, so you'll have to organize yourself accordingly!"
GoVolta trains are slower than high-speed trains.
For example, it takes about :
This means slightly longer journey times than fast trains (around an hour longer).
On paper, GoVolta ticks all the boxes: attractive prices, international routes, alternative to air travel... And above all, as a ProRail manager points out: "The more affordable and attractive the connections, the easier it becomes to switch from car and plane to train."
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.
It remains to be seen whether GoVolta will succeed in keeping its promises over the long term, particularly in terms of punctuality, reliability and quality of service - the key elements for convincing travellers over the long term. To be continued...
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.
