The Wunderline is a comfortable and unlimited train connection between the northern Netherlands and north-west Germany. The Wunderline provides access to one large, cross-border region within Europe. An important stimulus for unlimited collaboration, growth and exchange!

Over the coming years, we shall be improving the quality of the current railway connection between Groningen and Bremen. Our purpose? An efficient, comfortable, international train line. And stronger collaboration in an economic, social and cultural sense. And so the Wunderline will bring the two regions closer together. 

The Wunderline is a faster, more comfortable train connection which will transport you from Groningen to Bremen and vice versa in just over two hours, from 2030 on. The track is already in place. In the years to come, we shall be working on this stretch of track and the stations along it, in order to speed up train transport. The trip will not only be shorter but also more comfortable. The Wunderline is a modern connection which will be fitted with all possible conveniences. The trains will start service by the end of 2024. 

The Wunderline is more than simply a rail project. This rail connection will provide an impulse for liveability and socio-economic reinforcement of the northern border regions in the Netherlands and Germany. The Wunderline connects these regions, making it much simpler for students and employees to undertake studies and work in the neighbouring country. For tourists, the Wunderline is an attractive way of heading out over the border for a day out.

Equally important: the people living in the border regions must be able to travel simply to and from the Wunderline stations. That is why we are improving the connections between the various means of transport. Quick and comfortable travel from door to door! We are also working at improving accessibility of the stations, and ensuring that they provide comfortable waiting facilities. Think in terms of options to buy coffee and a newspaper, as well as a comfortable, sheltered seating area. We shall be cooperating with the municipalities along the railway track to achieve all this in the years to come.

The Wunderline will contribute to cross-border collaboration between the Netherlands and Germany. Businesses, educational establishments and healthcare institutions will quite literally find each other more quickly Take the project titled 'Sorgen für, sorgen dass’ for example, an initiative by the three northern Netherlands provinces and northern German regions. This project is intended to improve collaboration between educational courses, training facilities and persons seeking employment. During the first "Sorgen für, sorgen dass" project, more than 400 Dutch and German pupils and students undertook training in the neighbouring countries, or took part in an excursion. This is a perfect example of a project in which the Wunderline can most certainly play a major role.

The Wunderline is equally an important stimulus in terms of tourism, art and culture. The express train connection will facilitate new encounters. 

The Wunderline is a joint project by the Province of Groningen, the Lower Saxony region and the Free Hanseatic city of Bremen. It was partly financed by the European Union and by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment.

The Wunderline also has great ambitions on a European level. For instance, it wants to become an important part of the European rail network. The Wunderline has the potential to become an essential link in the connection that runs from Amsterdam through the Northern Netherlands to Hamburg and Scandinavia. As such, the Wunderline can also make an essential contribution to the European climate objectives. After all, the train is a sustainable alternative to cars and planes.

There is broad support for the Wunderline from within Europe (Brussels). In 2014, the EU provided around €8 million grant to the project and declared the Wunderline a 'flagship project'. This makes the Wunderline an exemplary project when it comes to improving cross-border infrastructure in combination with sustainability. Currently, the Dutch and German Wunderline partners are jointly working on a new European grant application in order to finance the work on the track in the second construction phase.

In 2021, European rail transport was put in the spotlight during the European Year of Rail. With this initiative, the European Union wanted more people and goods to travel by train. The Wunderline has also contributed to this initiative. For example, the Wunderline Community Meeting (for European stakeholders and interested parties) in autumn 2021 was all about the connection between the region and Europe. In the coming years, Wunderline will continue to work on emphasising the project's added value for Europe.

Realisation of the first step of the Wunderline (up until end of 2024) is financed by the province of Groningen, the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, the Lower Saxony region, the national German government in Berlin and the European Union. The Wunderline is a flagship project for the European Union. See also the website of Europese Unie.
The Chain mobility network is financed by (almost) all municipalities along the line, the province of Groningen and the Lower Saxony region.