A European night train renaissance has long been teased, but in reality, it has been slow to materialise. <\/p>\n
In December, pyjama-wearing protestors<\/strong><\/a> camped out in Amsterdam, Lisbon and Vienna to demand better investment in Europe\u2019s sleeper train network. <\/p>\n With 2026 looming as a make-or-break year for new trains, funding decisions and private operators, will their wishes be granted? Here\u2019s a rundown of where Europe\u2019s night train network stands.<\/p>\n New trains, old problems: What\u2019s holding Europe\u2019s night trains back?<\/p>\n Austria\u2019s national railway company, \u00d6BB, is the largest international night train operator in Europe.<\/p>\n In 2026, the company will continue investing in its new-generation<\/strong><\/a>sleeper trains, which it unveiled to much fanfare in 2023.<\/p>\n \u201c\u00d6BB is investing over \u20ac500 million in new Nightjet trains – more than any other railway company in Europe,\u201d spokesperson Bernhard Rieder tells Euronews Travel.<\/p>\n \u201cA total of 24 completely new night trains will be in service by mid-2026,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n Though impressive, this is scaled back from its initial plans for a 33-train fleet, with funds redirected into daytime services – potentially limiting the pace at which new night routes can be launched.<\/p>\n This cutback reflects the challenges faced by \u00d6BB in recent months. In December, it was forced to slash its Nightjet sleeper train<\/strong><\/a> service from Paris to Vienna and Berlin due to subsidy cuts by the French government. The two routes had only been in operation since 2021 and 2023, respectively.<\/p>\n It followed the suspension of the operator\u2019s Brussels-Berlin line back in March, mainly due to engineering work in Germany.<\/p>\n The company has also been forced to suspend night trains from Vienna to Milan and to and from the port city of La Spezia in 2026 due to construction work. The latter route launched in December 2022, providing a direct overnight connection from Austria and Germany to the Italian Riviera<\/strong><\/a>. <\/p>\n These obstacles aren\u2019t unique to \u00d6BB. Funding problems have plagued other European routes and operators, including the planned SBB night train from Basel to Copenhagen and Malm\u00f6. Initially scheduled to launch in April 2026, it was cancelled after the Swiss Parliament withdrew its funding – despite tickets already having gone on sale.<\/p>\n The decision came despite Switzerland<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s otherwise strong track record of investing heavily in rail infrastructure and long-distance passenger services.<\/p>\n Track availability, differences in signalling systems and track sizes between countries, and variable demand for newly established services are among the other issues stalling cross-border night trains.<\/p>\n A new EU-wide rail capacity regulation, currently being rolled out, is intended to improve cross-border planning – though campaigners say its impact on night trains remains to be seen.<\/p>\n Modernising Europe\u2019s night trains<\/p>\n New trains like Austria\u2019s Nightjets are what\u2019s needed to drive demand for Europe\u2019s sleeper services, says Poul Kattler, founding member and activist at Back-on-Track, a volunteer network campaigning for better cross-border passenger trains in Europe.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Austrians’ cars are running so smoothly – it’s a dream,\u201d he tells Euronews Travel. But they are the exception: most of Europe\u2019s other night trains rely on old rolling stock – carriages that often date back to the 1950s-70s.<\/p>\n Beyond comfort, campaigners say reliability, border checks and staffing levels also play a role in whether passengers choose overnight trains over flying.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are really longing to see solutions that are more modern and may attract a larger audience to travel by train<\/strong><\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n In some countries, this is slowly becoming a reality. A \u20ac732 million deal struck between Italy’s Trenitalia and Czech manufacturer \u0160koda in 2023 is set to bring 370 new night train coaches in the years ahead.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are introducing more \u2018hotel-style\u2019 sleeping compartments, with double beds instead of bunk beds,\u201d says Poul.<\/p>\n France, too, is investing heavily in its national night train network.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are very excited that the French government is planning to place an order for 180 new carriages for internal services,\u201d says Quentin Marsal of Oui au train de nuit (Yes to the Night Train), a volunteer collective campaigning for the revival and improvement of France’s Intercit\u00e9s de Nuit (ICN) overnight trains.<\/p>\n \u201cThis order will guarantee that night train services in France<\/strong><\/a> will keep running for the coming 20 years.\u201d<\/p>\n It includes an option to purchase an additional 160 carriages, which would allow for new services in regions that are currently poorly connected by the high-speed network, he adds. <\/p>\n Replicating this momentum across borders is difficult, however. Governments aren\u2019t always on the same page when it comes to policy and funding, leading to cuts like those in Switzerland and France.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not easy for private operators to pick up the slack – expensive equipment and the need to reapply for track capacity each year make for a shaky investment proposal, forcing them to use old rolling stock.<\/p>\n A \u2018cheap\u2019 way to green Europe\u2019s transport<\/p>\n This means the future of Europe\u2019s night trains rests heavily on unreliable financial input from governments. While public enthusiasm for night trains is growing, operators say demand can still be uneven outside of peak seasons, making long-term planning difficult.<\/p>\n Yet it\u2019s taxpayer money well spent – not only for mobility but for the green transition – Back-on-Track argues. <\/p>\n A fully developed night train network could prevent up to 3 per cent of the EU’s total greenhouse gas emissions<\/strong><\/a> by replacing flights, the organisation estimates – assuming widespread uptake on major short-haul routes. <\/p>\n And night trains don\u2019t have to be propped up by government funding forever. Once demand for a new route has been established, it can act as a launchpad – allowing private operators to eventually take the reins.<\/p>\n In Sweden, for example, funding for the Stockholm-Berlin route has been withdrawn, forcing state-owned SJ to end its nightly service from September 2026.<\/p>\n While the withdrawal has been criticised, it has also revealed how state support can help reduce the risk of launching new routes in their early years.<\/p>\n \u201cInstead of always crying about the situation, I think we should look on the bright side,\u201d says Poul, explaining that private operators RDC Deutschland and Sn\u00e4llt\u00e5get have swooped in to save the route, albeit with an every-other-night service.<\/p>\n This proves the value of introducing a line to the market using taxpayer money, says Poul, as it is \u201cquite a cheap way\u201d of reducing emissions from aviation, and can be passed on to private operators once it has become established. <\/p>\n Similarly, \u00d6BB\u2019s Paris-Berlin line is set to be taken up by Belgian-Dutch start-up European Sleeper<\/strong><\/a> in March.<\/p>\n More support is needed though – especially at the EU level.<\/p>\n \u201cThe European Investment Bank<\/strong> <\/a>could simply invest in rolling stock, including sleeping cars,\u201d as part of its climate financing strategy, suggests Poul, who believes this could become a reality in 2026.<\/p>\n Newer trains might also be able to overcome another major setback for Europe\u2019s sleeper network: access to high-speed lines<\/strong><\/a>, which are often the most direct routes between major cities. <\/p>\n Currently, the older night trains in operation have a locomotive-hauled design that concentrates weight on too few axles to run on infrastructure built for lighter, articulated trains like SNCF\u2019s TGV.<\/p>\n Access to high-speed lines would also make night trains more competitive with short-haul flights<\/strong><\/a>, particularly on routes under 1,000 kilometres.<\/p>\n New European night trains launching in 2026<\/p>\n Despite the challenges, private night train operators are forging ahead with new routes.<\/p>\n This June, European Sleeper will connect Amsterdam and Brussels to Milan. The service is set to run three times per week via Cologne, Bern, Brig, and Stresa on Italy\u2019s Lake Maggiore, with seats starting from around \u20ac29 and basic sleeper tickets from roughly \u20ac80.<\/p>\n Feeding train lovers\u2019 appetite for luxury, Belmond\u2019s Venice Simplon-Orient-Express<\/strong><\/a> will bring a higher-end Italian itinerary to the market in May, linking Paris with the Amalfi Coast overnight. An additional two-night hotel stay will be included as part of the \u2018Villeggiatura by Train\u2019 package, which costs a far less accessible \u20ac10,000.<\/p>\n By 2027, new players could enter the market – like Berlin-based startup Nox Mobility<\/strong><\/a>, which has announced plans to launch sleeper trains with private rooms. Whether it will materialise, only time will tell. French premium night train start-up, Midnight Trains, was forced to abandon its dream in 2024 due to difficulties securing funding.<\/p>\n