A NEW 175km high-speed rail network has opened between Cologne and Frankfurt, at a cost of 6 billion Euros.

The line took seven years to construct and is described as one of the most challenging projects of the transeuropean transport network, the 24 billion Euro high-speed rail connection between Paris Brussels Cologne/Frankfurt Amsterdam London (PBKAL).

European Commission vice-president Loyola de Palacio said: 'After completion of the Paris Lille Frethun and the Paris Brussels sections of the PBKAL railway project in 1993 and 1997, the opening of the Cologne-Frankfurt section will significantly contribute to further increasing the attractiveness of travelling by rail.

'The new infrastructure allows a maximum operational speed of 300km/h and leads to a one and a half hour gain between the two German cities.'