---
title: "Night trains in Europe in 2026: new routes, lost routes and why they struggle"
description: "Which European night trains started or stopped in 2026, from Paris–Berlin to Brussels–Milan, and why sleeper services remain hard to run profitably."
url: "https://eclair.world/news/night-trains-europe"
lang: "en"
author: "Thierry Gustin"
published: "2026-11-12"
updated: "2026-11-12"
---

# Night trains in Europe in 2026: new routes, lost routes and why they struggle

> **Key takeaways** — Europe's sleeper network changed sharply in 2026. A cooperative operator revived Paris–Berlin and launched Brussels–Milan, while state-backed routes such as Paris–Vienna disappeared. Demand is strong; the cost of running night trains is the problem.

Europe's night trains are being reshuffled rather than revived across the board. In 2026 a small cooperative operator, European Sleeper, restored Paris–Berlin and opened Brussels–Milan. At the same time, around ten night lines vanished from timetables, including the Nightjet trains from Paris to Vienna and Berlin. Passengers want these trains; the economics of running them remain fragile.

> **Key points** — The Paris–Vienna and Paris–Berlin Nightjets ended on 14 December 2025 after the French government withdrew its funding.  
> European Sleeper launched Paris–Berlin on 26 March 2026 and Brussels–Milan on 9 September 2026, each three times a week.  
> The campaign group Back-on-Track counts five new connections and about ten lost lines in 2026.  
> Operators and campaigners point to high operating costs and a lack of rolling stock as the main obstacles.

## Which night trains started or stopped in 2026?

The headline changes are concentrated on routes to and from Paris and Brussels. A June 2026 map by the campaign network [Back-on-Track](https://www.euronews.com/travel/2026/06/04/love-night-trains-this-new-map-shows-all-the-sleeper-services-running-across-europe-in-202), reported by Euronews, lists five new connections this year, including new Polish PKP routes to Prague and Munich, and about ten lines that disappeared, among them several ÖBB Nightjet services and the 1,456 km Stockholm–Narvik train.

**Selected night train changes, December 2025 to November 2026**

| Route | Change | Operator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Paris–Vienna | Ended 14 December 2025; no direct replacement | ÖBB Nightjet with SNCF |
| Paris–Berlin | Ended 14 December 2025, relaunched 26 March 2026 | European Sleeper |
| Brussels–Cologne–Switzerland–Milan | New, from 9 September 2026 | European Sleeper |
| Poland–Prague and Poland–Munich | New in 2026 | PKP |
| Stockholm–Narvik (1,456 km) | Discontinued in 2026 | — |

## Why did the Paris–Vienna and Paris–Berlin Nightjets end?

They stopped because France stopped paying, not because they were empty. [Railway Gazette](https://www.railwaygazette.com/passenger/paris-to-wien-and-berlin-night-trains-to-end-after-french-government-withdraws-subsidy/69690.article) reported in September 2025 that the French transport ministry had pulled its funding, so both services ended at the timetable change on 14 December 2025. Occupancy had averaged 70% in 2024, and a campaign group said 66,000 people used the trains that year. SNCF Voyageurs called night train operation a "huge economic challenge" and said break-even was out of reach even with more passengers, because costs are too high.

In April 2026, ÖBB chief executive Andreas Matthä ruled out a return of Paris–Vienna unless operating conditions change, including French financial participation, describing the line as very popular but loss-making, [Voyages d'Affaires](https://www.voyages-d-affaires.com/en/?p=221693) reported.

## What are the new European Sleeper routes like?

They are long, slow and comparatively cheap. The **Paris–Berlin** train runs three times a week via Brussels, Liège, Mons and, since July 2026, Hamburg-Harburg. In the normal timetable it leaves Paris Gare du Nord at 17:45 and reaches Berlin Hauptbahnhof at 09:59, about 16 hours, according to the rail travel guide [Seat61](https://seat61.com/trains-and-routes/european-sleeper-paris-berlin.htm).

The **Brussels–Milan** train began on 9 September 2026 after a delay from June. It runs via Cologne, Swiss stops including Arth-Goldau and Lugano, and Como, taking about 18 hours. Fares start at €29.99 for a seat and €49.99 for a couchette berth, [Il Sole 24 Ore](https://en.ilsole24ore.com/art/new-milanbrussels-european-sleeper-night-train-makes-its-debut-AJdt6O0) reported. From December 2026 it is due to call at Antwerp, Breda and Eindhoven. The operator, owned by its community of supporters, says it has carried over 300,000 passengers on more than 980 night trains.

## Why are night trains so hard to run?

A sleeper carries far fewer people per carriage than a day train, uses its rolling stock once a day, and needs staff through the night. Those structural costs explain the pattern of 2026:

- **Costs:** SNCF said the Paris services could not break even even with higher ridership.
- **Rolling stock:** Back-on-Track chair Juri Maier told Euronews the biggest obstacle is a lack of investment in carriages, which he says also ended the Narvik train.
- **Public money:** routes that depend on state contracts disappear when a government stops paying, as Paris–Vienna showed.
- **Cross-border operations:** the Brussels–Milan launch slipped from 18 June to 9 September because of summer engineering works in Germany and Swiss approval for a first-time operator, [Euronews](https://euronews.com/travel/2026/03/05/european-sleepers-new-brussels-milan-route-delayed-until-september) reported.

Demand does not appear to be the constraint. "The demand is there," Maier said in the same Euronews report, calling for significant investment now.

## Are night trains worth it for travellers?

They suit travellers who value arriving in a city centre after a night's sleep more than speed. A 16- to 18-hour trip is longer than a flight plus airport time, but it replaces a hotel night and avoids early airport check-ins. Rail is widely seen as a lower-carbon alternative to short-haul flights, which matters in a period when [global warming has passed 1.5°C in a single year](https://eclair.world/news/first-year-above-1-5c). Overnight trains can also help spread visitors beyond the [cities that already struggle with crowds](https://eclair.world/news/overtourism-europe-cities). Book early, since most new services run only three times a week, and check timetables with the operator because stops and days change between seasons.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is there still a night train from Paris to Berlin?

Yes. After ÖBB's Nightjet ended on 14 December 2025, the Dutch-Belgian cooperative European Sleeper relaunched the route on 26 March 2026. It runs three times a week in each direction via Brussels, Liège and Mons, with a stop at Hamburg-Harburg added from July 2026. The eastbound trip takes about 16 hours from Paris Gare du Nord to Berlin Hauptbahnhof.

### Is there a night train from Paris to Vienna?

Not directly, as of November 2026. The Paris–Vienna Nightjet ended in December 2025 when the French government stopped funding it, and ÖBB's chief executive said in April 2026 that it would not return unless conditions change, including French financial support. Travellers can combine daytime trains with other sleeper services, for example through Switzerland or Germany.

### How much does a European night train cost?

Prices vary by route, date and berth. On European Sleeper's Brussels–Milan service, launch fares started at €29.99 for a seat, €49.99 for a couchette berth and €99.99 for a sleeper compartment, according to Il Sole 24 Ore. Private compartments cost more, and fares rise as trains fill up, so booking early usually pays.

### Why are night trains being cancelled in Europe?

Mostly because of money. Night trains have high fixed costs and carry fewer passengers per carriage than day trains, so many depend on public contracts. When France withdrew its subsidy, the Paris–Vienna and Paris–Berlin Nightjets ended despite 70% average occupancy. Campaigners also point to a shortage of modern sleeper carriages as a reason routes such as Stockholm–Narvik stopped.

### What is European Sleeper?

European Sleeper is a Dutch-Belgian night train operator owned by its community of supporters. It runs Brussels–Berlin–Prague, Paris–Berlin and, since September 2026, Brussels–Milan, each three times a week. The company says it has carried over 300,000 passengers on more than 980 night trains, and it plans to add Antwerp, Breda and Eindhoven to the Milan route from December 2026.

## Sources

- [Railway Gazette International — Paris to Wien and Berlin night trains to end after French government withdraws subsidy](https://www.railwaygazette.com/passenger/paris-to-wien-and-berlin-night-trains-to-end-after-french-government-withdraws-subsidy/69690.article) (30 September 2025)
- [Euronews — This new map shows all the sleeper services running across Europe in 2026](https://www.euronews.com/travel/2026/06/04/love-night-trains-this-new-map-shows-all-the-sleeper-services-running-across-europe-in-202) (4 June 2026)
- [Seat61 — The European Sleeper train from Paris to Berlin](https://seat61.com/trains-and-routes/european-sleeper-paris-berlin.htm) (accessed November 2026)
- [Il Sole 24 Ore — New Milan–Brussels European Sleeper night train makes its debut](https://en.ilsole24ore.com/art/new-milanbrussels-european-sleeper-night-train-makes-its-debut-AJdt6O0) (September 2026)
- [Voyages d'Affaires — Austrian Railways: a mixed year, no return for the Paris–Vienna night connection](https://www.voyages-d-affaires.com/en/?p=221693) (21 April 2026)
- [European Sleeper — Night train Brussels–Milan](https://www.europeansleeper.eu/milan) (accessed November 2026)

— Thierry Gustin, Editor-in-chief · November 12, 2026