Night trains are all the rage, and while it feels like a new operator announces a new route every week right now, Spanish operator RENFE has done a whole lot more than that.
The company is reportedly exploring the potential of launching a gargantuan night train network which connects Madrid and Barcelona to more than 50 hubs (yes, 50) across Europe, to provide travellers with an environmentally conscious alternative to short-haul flights. Did someone say ambitious?
It’s just a proposal right now, but with countries like Austria, France, and Germany all investing a load of cash into their night train networks, and the European Commission highlighting night trains as a key component of its sustainable transport strategy, a proposal of this scale is not unwarranted.
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According to Travel and Tour World, the network would have connections to France (Paris, Lyon and Marseille), Germany (Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt), Italy (Milan, Rome, Venice), Belgium (Brussels and Antwerp) and the Netherlands (Amsterdam and Rotterdam), with passengers dozing off in their departure destination and waking up in a new city the following morning.
More specifically, night train routes could include those between Barcelona to Marseille and Madrid to Berlin, and RENFE’s modern Taglo AVRIL fleet will be used. These trains are not only designed for high speed, but have also been adapted for different tracks and power systems.
So, what’s with the delay in confirming this plan? Well, according to Euro Weekly, the go-ahead for this mammoth project all depends on whether these night trains are considered a public service, and if so, if enough government funding to make it happen can be raised – that all depends on political will in Spain.
Stay tuned for all the updates on this story, but in the meantime, check out all the sleeper trains launching this year that we cannot wait to try.
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