The Italian rail operator Italo has plans to expand into the Netherlands and Belgium, although this will not happen until 2030 at the earliest, according ot the company's CEO Gianbattista La Rocca.
The private company is investing €3.6 billion to compete with Deutsche Bahn in Germany. Italo has ordered 26 high-speed trains from the German manufacturer Siemens.
These trains will be permitted to operate not only in Germany, but also in Belgium and the Netherlands, La Rocca told the Italian business newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore.
“At the moment, we are focusing on Germany. From there, it is possible to travel westwards to Belgium, the Netherlands and France,” he said.
The launch in Germany is planned for 2028, while for Belgium and the Netherlands it will not be before 2030–2031.
