The much-lauded renaissance of European sleeper trains hit a significant obstacle with the recent announcement that ÖBB’s Nightjet services from Paris to Vienna and Berlin would be cut from December. The Austrian operator’s decision, prompted by the French government ending its subsidies, seemed to signal a major setback for the movement. However, light has appeared at the end of the tunnel, as the Dutch cooperative European Sleeper has declared it will be taking over the crucial Paris to Berlin route, with its first train scheduled for March 26, 2026.
This new service represents a crucial continuation of overnight travel between the French and German capitals, a route that campaign groups had fiercely fought to protect. The French group ‘Oui au train de nuit!’ had even staged a ‘pyjama party’ protest and gathered 91,000 signatures, making this new announcement feel like a hard-won, if partial, victory. European Sleeper’s entry ensures that this popular link for tourists and business travelers will not be lost.
The new operator plans to run the service three times a week. Departures from Paris Gare du Nord are slated for Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday evenings, while the return journeys from Berlin will run on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This schedule provides a robust alternative to the discontinued Nightjet, and the company is confident it will attract the previous service’s customer base as well as new travelers.
Interestingly, European Sleeper is forging its own path, literally. The company intends to route the train via Brussels, a change from the Nightjet’s journey through eastern France and central Germany. This strategic rerouting, pending final approvals, could tap into the significant travel market in and around the Belgian capital. Furthermore, the company is boasting a higher capacity, with 12 to 14 dedicated coaches for Berlin carrying 600-700 passengers, a distinct advantage over the Nightjet’s split-coach model.
While European Sleeper has been a key player in the sleeper market revival, it has faced challenges, including a lack of rolling stock and mixed reviews citing technical issues and delays. For this new route, the company will use 1990s German-rented coaches, which are promised to be an upgrade from some of their older carriages. A dining car, however, will not be included at the start. Co-founder Chris Engelsman noted the “challenge” of profitability for onboard dining, citing high rental and staff costs as a major hurdle.