Highspeed train line opens between France, Germany

STRASBOURG, France, June 10 (Reuters) Passengers were greeted with music and free pretzels as a new high-speed train line linking France and Germany opened today.

The new link cuts travel time between Paris and the southern German city of Stuttgart from six hours to just under four, and is part of a broader plan to carry passengers between Paris and eastern European cities such as Budapest and Bratislava.

French rail officials say they expect rail travel between the two countries to double by 2012. Deutsche Bahn head Hartmut Mehdorn said the high-speed link would carry 1.5 million passengers a year by 2012.

The project has cost 5.5 billion euros (7.4 billion dollars) so far but is not yet finished. Another 1.7 billion euros are needed to upgrade a final 106 km of the track by 2015.

REUTERS RJ BST2140