London-Berlin trains will be on the drawing board of UK-German rail taskforce

Possibility of direct services is most eyecatching part of a commitment to collaborate on transport links and mobility

Plans for possible direct trains from London to Berlin will be drawn up by a joint UK-German taskforce, reigniting hopes for better rail connections across Europe.

The partnership, announced as part of the bilateral treaty to be signed by Keir Starmer and Friedrich Merz, could eventually lead to direct rail services between the two countries after previous plans for London-Frankfurt trains hit the buffers.