Austrian rail?operator ?BB?has introduced its ¡®new generation¡¯ Railjet train on routes between Germany and Italy.

The new flagship of ?BB¡¯s long-distance fleet?features nine cars with a total of 532 seats across first, business and economy class and can travel at speeds of up to 230 km/h.

Four Railjet trains will now operate on ?BB¡¯s Munich-Bologna service, which calls in at Innsbruck, Bolzano and Verona. Four additional trains will be delivered by autumn this year, according to the company, with a further 19 trains set to hit the tracks on southern routes by 2028.

The move follows the recent introduction of new NightJet sleeper trains on routes from Berlin to both Paris and Brussels, and as the company gears up towards an aggressive 2040 network expansion.

The Railjet trains feature ¡®optimised¡¯ seats that are individually adjustable with two folding tables, a footrest, integrated reading lights and both USB and inductive charging options. Seats in first and business class feature leather and wood finishes.

Group travel options are available across economy (six-seat compartment) and business class (four-seat compartment), with luggage racks distributed throughout the train.

Trains also include an on-board restaurant with table seating and window-facing bar stools as well as dedicated snack zones with vending machines throughout.

Commenting on the launch, ?BB CEO Andreas Matth? said: ¡°More and more people are choosing the train for their journey. We are taking this positive development into account with an increase in modern trains.

¡°The route between Munich and Northern Italy in particular is in very high demand and that's why I'm all the more pleased that we can offer our passengers more comfort and a first-class travel experience.¡±