Say good bye to ultra-low-cost hopper flights around Europe. Welcome back, night trains.
It used to be a youthful right of passage: travelling around Europe by rail, sleeping in shared train couchettes and hostels. Bumped by a burgeoning number of super-cheap airlines in recent years that allowed even ordinary people to fly from Frankfurt to Greece for a long weekend, trains are enjoying a renaissance - and especially, night trains.
Overnight rail journeys are making a comeback in a big way as Europe bans short haul flights in a battle against emissions. Eurostar says that flying the quick hop from London to Paris emits 14 times more greenhouse gases than traveling the same route by train (not to mention getting to and from the airport, especially if you go by car.)
As Open Jaw has reported, beginning this year in France, flights that would take under 2.5 h to complete by rail will be banned, and other EU countries are following suit. It's not just top-down government mandates. Consumer preferences are changing, too. As 'travel-shaming' grows, so does a preference for trains over flights.
“The idea is that for train trips of less than four hours, no businesspeople will choose to fly, and for trips below six hours, normal people — tourists — will take the train,” said Alberto Mazzola, the executive director of the Community of European Railways and Infrastructure Companies.
With pandemic pressures added in, airlines have already been scaling back shorter flights. On the other hand, investment in new rail service across Europe has surged, especially in a new generation of sleeper trains.
The shift in European focus on trains over flights will have an impact on the North American travel trade as it helps customers book FIT trips to Europe - or even make connections from an international flight to where a guided tour package begins, or an ocean or river cruise departs.
From start ups that shake up the formula of night trains with sleek, contemporary designs and local gastronomy, to national rail companies developing new offerings specifically for the coming boom in night trains around Europe, here are some new night trains that are providing fresh options to get around Europe.
NightJet
Vienna – Salzburg – Munich – Paris
Vienna – Genoa and La Spezia onwards to Monaco, Nice, and Cinque Terre
Austria’s national railway is leading the pack in the return of sleeper trains, growing a network of night trains to over two dozen cities in more than a dozen countries on its service called NightJet, which has been around, anticipating the rail revival, since 2016.
Countries connected to Austria via this large and growing sleeper train network include Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland. The overnight Vienna – Paris journey takes about 14 hours. Until recently, there have been three classes of service in single, double or triple cabin with either a sink or a full bath, or four or six couchette with shared facilities, with breakfast for sleeper cabin guests.
In 2023, new trains bring first-class service including charging stations and included wifi, sports equipment storage and private compartments with their own showers and lavatories.
EuroNight
Stockholm – Copenhagen - Hamburg
Sweden’s SJ Trains debuted renewable-energy-powered EuroNight service in 2022 from Stockholm to Hamburg, Germany. In its inaugural season, the train departed at 5:30 p.m. and arrived at 6:30am, passing through Copenhagen en route.
Overnight accommodations range from a seat in a carriage to a bed in a shared couchette to private compartments for two with a sink or a private compartments for three with a shower, toilet and even breakfast. Some compartments are also pet friendly.
CD
Prague to Zurich
Czech national rail company CD launched new sleeper train service between Prague and Zurich via Frankfurt and Basel in late 2022. You can take your pick of deluxe sleeper compartments with private toilets and showers or six-person couchettes for your 14-hour night train to Switzerland.
Launching in 2023: Orient Express
Rome – Paris/ Split / Istanbul
With the legendary name of Agatha Christie fame, the Orient Express (not to be confused with luxury Belmond’s Venice-Simplon Orient Express) launches in 2023 with six trains in Italy offering six scenic itineraries through Italy’s best landscapes plus three international itineraries through eight countries, linking Rome to Paris, Istanbul and Split, Croatia.
The rail experience is inspired by Italian glamour of the jetset era, with deluxe cabins, suites and a restaurant with fine dining and award-winning Italian wines.
Launching in 2023: European Sleeper
Brussels – Amsterdam - Berlin
The new Belgian-Dutch ‘social cooperative,’ European Sleeper, is set to launch in spring, 2023 with its first route: Brussels to Berlin via Amsterdam, with service extending further east to Prague in the following year.
Beginning in 2024: Midnight Trains
Paris – Venice / Milan
This French start-up is bringing next-gen, upscale, ultra-modern sleeper cars to 13 European cities from its hub in Paris beginning in 2024, reportedly starting with service to the northern Italian cities of Venice and Milan.
The experience will offer choices of all-private cars with baths designed for singletons, couples or family/ groups traveling together. Following 8 pm departures, guests can enjoy local and seasonal cuisine, craft cocktails, beer and wine in a dining room, bar or as room service.
Following a luxurious night’s sleep embraced by premium bedding, you’ll arrive downtown in cities like Barcelona, Berlin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, Milan, and Venice the next morning.
Eyes Wide Open: New Daytime Trains to Watch
Hungarian Railways
Slovenia – Graz, Austria - Budapest
Launched in late 2021, Hungarian Railways’ train itinerary from Ljubljana, Slovenia to Budapest via Graz, Austria leaves in the mornings for an approximately 8-hour scenic daylight rail journey to Hungary.
Frecciarossa
Milan - Paris
Italian national train operator Trenitalia’s high-speed service Frecciarossa launched upscale service between Milan and Paris in late 2021. The 7-hour rail journey is both faster and cushier than prior train service between the two destinations, especially if you splurge on ‘executive’ class tickets in plush armchairs.
Ouigo
Madrid - Valencia
France national railway-owned Ouigo debuted high-speed rail service between Madrid and Valencia in late 2022. It has plans to extend service to other Spanish destinations including Cordoba, Seville, Malaga and the Costa del Sol in the coming years.
