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TheInterRegio, often shortened toIR, is atrain category for mainly domestictrain services in use in someEuropean countries, withSwiss Federal Railways operating the most dense network. InterRegio trains are semi-fast long-distance trains with more stops and usually lower prices than more upscale long-distance trains such as theInterCity (IC).
Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) has introduced the InterRegio category since August 2025 for long-distance services on routes that before were only served by regional trains and routes currently served by long-distance trains only.The main introduction is scheduled for December 2025.[1]
The InterRegio system was also introduced to the Danish railways in the early 1990s and became an alternative to the InterCity services, with no seat reservation required. However, unlike other countries, InterRegio trains in Denmark only operates on Fridays and Sundays, to support the heavy flow of passengers that travel on those days. These InterRegio services also have fewer stops than the InterCity services, which goes against the original InterRegio concept of long-distance trains with more local stops. There are no specific rules for the composition for these trains, and both old and new material has been used for InterRegio services.[citation needed]
The InterRégió trains were introduced in Hungary on 12 December 2009 (15 years ago) (2009-12-12). InterRégió trains run mainly on regional lines, but their function is national as well. The trains operate along the linesSárbogárd–Szekszárd–Baja andKecskemét–Baja–Dombóvár. InterRégió trains use air-conditionedMÁV 6341DMU-s which were built by the RussianMetrovagonmash.[citation needed]
In Poland, interREGIO trains were introduced byPrzewozy Regionalne (PR) in spring of 2009 (16 years ago) (2009), the first IR train connectingBiałystok withWarsaw. The fare is similar asTLK-branded fast trains ofPKP Intercity.
In the beginning these trains operated mostly on Fridays and Sundays along the routes:Wrocław-Kraków, Kraków-Przemyśl,Poznań-Olsztyn, Poznań-Warsaw andBydgoszcz-Warsaw. Since June 2009 there are more interREGIO trains on routes; most of them are available through the whole week, some of them only on weekends. More routes were introduced, some of which are especially made for students, likeKielce-Częstochowa-Wrocław.
InterREGIO in Poland mostly uses olderelectric multiple units (usuallyED72,EN71 andEN57), with newer units on some routes (ED73 andED59 between Warsaw andŁódź,14WE between Kraków and Warsaw). Some IR trains are serviced with single- and/ordouble-decker cars and locomotives.
As of 1 January 2009[update], all IR trains in Poland are second class-only, even though PR's regulations include a first-class fare for interREGIO trains and in service are first-class coaches, yet declassified.
On 3 March 2012, theSzczekociny train collision occurred, with 15 deaths and 50 injured.
Since 1 September 2015 IR trains are only on routesŁódź –Warszawa andEłk –Grodno (Belarus), due to company's economics and restructuring.[2] The rest were withdrawn or replaced byTwoje Linie Kolejowe express trains.
Portugal's national railway companyComboios de Portugal (CP) operates some Interregionais, which before 2001 were known as "Directos" or "Semi-Directos". These trains offer a faster option than regional trains but slower than intercity trains. They operate along the linesPorto-Régua-Pocinho,Figueira da Foz-Porto-Valença,Porto-Coimbra,Lisbon-Tomar,Lisbon-Caldas da Rainha andCaldas da Rainha-Coimbra. The Interregional service is operated byCP Regional usingCP 2240 EMU-s, Spanish rentedCP 592 DMU-s and locomotivesCP 2600 with Arco coaches bought toRenfe in 2020 and refurbished by Comboios de Portugal.[citation needed]
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The InterRegio in Switzerland was first introduced in 1997 (28 years ago) (1997). They replaced some of the former fast trains with their own identity. InterRegio trains run from region to region within Switzerland. One service extends to the German city ofKonstanz, just across theborder.
InterRegio trains are now very commonplace in Switzerland. The abbreviation isIR in a 45°-edgy font, white letters on red (
). Since the early 2020s, most IR services are numbered and each has a distinct colour.
TheICN runs as anInterCity (IC) train but sometimes with halt frequencies in the same manner as an IR (Geneva/Lausanne-St. Gallen/Basel route). When ICN services first began on 28 May 2000, the ICN was placed as an InterRegio train. As of 2025[update], SBBRe 460-hauledIC 2000 cars andRABe 511 orRABe 502EMUs operate as IR services on several routes, while some routes are operated by SOBRABe 526, BLSRABe 528 or other.
As of the December 2024 timetable change,[update] the following InterRegio services exist, operated bySBB CFF FFS,BLS,RhB andSOB:
:Sargans –Buchs SG –Altstätten SG –Heerbrugg –St. Margrethen –Rorschach –St. Gallen –Gossau –Flawil –Uzwil –Wil SG –Winterthur –Zürich Airport –Zürich Oerlikon –Zürich HB[3]
:Lucerne –Sursee –Zofingen –Bern –Fribourg/Freiburg –Romont FR –Palézieux –Lausanne –Morges –Nyon –Geneva –Geneva Airport[4]
:Zürich HB –Baden –Brugg AG –Aarau –Olten –Bern[5]
:Basel SBB –Liestal –Sissach –Gelterkinden –Olten –Zofingen –Sursee –Luzern[6]
:Basel SBB –Rheinfelden –Stein-Säckingen –Frick –Brugg AG –Baden –Dietikon –Zürich Altstetten –Zürich HB[7]
:Basel SBB –Liestal –Sissach –Aarau –Lenzburg –Zürich HB[8]
:Zürich HB –Zug –Luzern[9]
:Konstanz –Kreuzlingen –Weinfelden –Frauenfeld –Winterthur –Zürich Airport –Zürich HB –Thalwil –Baar –Zug –Rotkreuz –Lucerne[10]
:Geneva Airport –Geneva –Nyon –Morges –Lausanne –Vevey –Montreux –Aigle –St-Maurice –Martigny –Sion –Sierre/Siders –Leuk –Visp –Brig[11]
:Bern –Burgdorf –Wynigen –Herzogenbuchsee –Langenthal –Olten[12]
:Bern –Lyss –Biel/Bienne[13]
:Bern –Kerzers –Ins –Neuchâtel –Chambrelien –Les Geneveys-sur-Coffrane –Les Hauts-Geneveys –La Chaux-de-Fonds[14] (Alpenrhein-Express):Chur –Landquart –Maienfeld –Bad Ragaz –Sargans –Buchs SG –Altstätten SG –Heerbrugg –St. Margrethen –Rorschach –St. Gallen[15]
(Treno Gottardo):Basel SBB –Olten –Lucerne –Arth-Goldau –Schwyz –Brunnen –Flüelen –Erstfeld –Göschenen –Airolo –Ambri-Piotta –Faido –Lavorgo –Bodio TI –Biasca –Castione-Arbedo –Bellinzona –Cadenazzo –Tenero –Locarno[16]
(Aare–Linth):Bern –Burgdorf –Herzogenbuchsee –Langenthal –Olten –Zürich Altstetten –Zürich HB –Thalwil –Wädenswil –Pfäffikon SZ –Siebnen-Wangen –Ziegelbrücke –Unterterzen –Walenstadt –Sargans –Bad Ragaz –Maienfeld –Landquart –Chur[17]
(Treno Gottardo):Zürich HB –Zug –Arth-Goldau –Schwyz –Brunnen –Flüelen –Erstfeld –Göschenen –Airolo –Ambri-Piotta –Faido –Lavorgo –Bodio TI –Biasca –Castione-Arbedo –Bellinzona –Cadenazzo –Tenero –Locarno[18]In Belgium, InterRegio (IR) trains were slower than the fast IC trains, and usually called at more stations along a route. Their journey was usually not as long as IC trains, but still traveled further than the local (L) trains. Most IR trains had hourly frequencies, some having only services every two hours (although this is mostly true only for weekend services). All trains in Belgium shared the same cost structure, so taking an IR train cost the same as an IC or L train for the same route. The only difference lay in the number of station stops they called at. In December 2014 the InterRegio was withdrawn, InterRegio lines were either converted toInterCity or local train or cancelled completely.[citation needed]
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InterRegio trains were also commonplace in Germany from 1988 to 2003. They travelled and mainly connected regions in Germany. Most of the InterRegio lines have been replaced byInterCity lines; a few were replaced by the newly establishedInterregio-Express (IRE) type. However, Interregio-Express lines belong technically to the short distance train category, and tend to be shorter. InterRegio trains were very popular as they could be used without supplement.
DB gradually retired the concept in favor of more expensiveInterCity (IC) orIntercity Express (ICE) trains with several former IR lines also being split up and downgraded to regional services.[citation needed]
TheFerrovie dello Stato Italiane introduced interregional trains (Italian:treni interregionali) in 1993, withexpress trains and some direct trains classified under this category. The name was abandoned in 2006 and the services subsequently operated as either CityExpress (CExp) or regional trains (R/REG). Since 2010, the former interregional trains received the new categorytreno regionale veloce (RV/RGV),lit. 'fast regional trains'.