It was only a month or so ago that we reported the sad news that the Paris-Berlin sleeper train is coming to the end of the line.
The overnight service was launched in December 2023 by ÖBB’s sleeper arm Nightjet, and quickly became a staple of Europe’s sleeper train offering. However, thanks to funding cuts from the French state-owned rail operator SNCF, the Nightjet train will be axed on December 13.
Not all hope is lost, though – enter European Sleeper. The Belgian-Dutch rail cooperative intends to fill the void left by Nightjet with its own new sleeper service connecting the French and German capitals. It’s set to hit the tracks on March 26, 2026, and tickets will be on sale in December.
So, what will be different, and what will stay the same? According to The Guardian, the European Sleeper train will follow a different route from Paris to Berlin. The current Nightjet service heads east from Paris-Nord, passing through Strasbourg, Frankfurt, Erfurt and Halle before arriving in Berlin at 8.30am.
European Sleeper intends to head north via Brussels, though the exact route is TBD. It will also have space for more travellers – up to 700, according to co-founder Chris Engelsman – thanks to the entire train continuing on to Berlin, while half of the carriages on the current Nightjet service split to Vienna.
The Paris-Vienna train will also be axed as part of the funding cuts to Nightjet services.
More new night trains launching in Europe next year
European Sleeper is a relatively new company, with its first train launching in May 2023 between Brussels and Berlin. The Paris-Berlin train isn’t the only new route the rail company intends to launch next year – they also have their sights set on services to both Barcelona and Milan. Watch this space.
Here are 13 more of the most exciting train routes launching in 2026.
Did you see that these festive vintage trains will take you to Europe’s best Christmas markets this season?
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