German railway operator Deutsche Bahn and the Austrian Federal Railways ÖBB will launch a new night train connection from Berlin and Vienna to Paris and Brussels in December. Öbb’s ‘Nightjet’ already connects the Austrian capital Vienna with Brussels.
The company intends to launch a nighttime connection between Brussels and the German capital Berlin in December. In the first phase, there will be three trains per week; in the autumn of 2024, both lines will be increased to daily connections. Öbb intends to double the number of passengers on the Nightjet trains by 2030.
Sleeper
Since the end of May, a night train has been running between Brussels and Berlin, operated by the Dutch-Belgian railway company Sleeper. European Sleeper wants to extend its connection in 2024 to the East German city of Dresden and Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. The Sleeper train rund three times a week.
From April 2024, new generation Railjet trains are set to be introduced gradually on the route between Munich and Italy. “These newly developed Nightjets, which can travel at speeds of up to 230 kilometers per hour, offer a new level of comfort, among other things, with individual cabins in the couchettes and level boarding for people with reduced mobility,” ÖBB announced.
Other night-train services
Additionally, an inter-city express (ICE) train is set to run every day from Berlin via Frankfurt and Stuttgart to Innsbruck. Currently, this connection is only offered at weekends.
Night-train services in Germany are mainly operated by ÖBB, which include destinations in Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, departing from several major German cities. Other night-train destinations include services to the Netherlands or Eastern European countries such as Croatia, Slovenia, and Hungary.
‘Hub for night trains’
The Belgian Federal Minister of Mobility, Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo), is pleased with Öbb’s additional night train connection. “Demand has exploded in recent years, and I want to make Brussels the hub for night trains,” he says.
“Belgium is the first European country to support night train operators financially. I would like to encourage my ministerial colleagues in other countries to do the same to ensure optimal international operation of night trains.”
Traveling by night train is a plus, and the formula is increasingly popular. You board in the evening, sleep in a proper bed, and wake up in another country.
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