A new overnight sleeper train between Paris and Berlin has just been announced, filling the gap left by the soon-to-be-discontinued Nightjet service by Austrian rail provider ÖBB.
The Dutch-Belgian company European Sleeper will launch its new Paris-Berlin night train at the end of March 2026, with the first departure from Paris scheduled for March 26th.
Trains will run three times a week, with departures expected to be from Paris Gare du Nord on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday evenings, and return services from Berlin Ostbahnhof and Hauptbahnhof on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Ticket sales are set to begin on December 16th, with prices expected to start from €59 or €69 for a bed in a shared couchette compartment – a similar price point to the previous Nightjet service.
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While the exact route and intermediate stops are still being finalised, European Sleeper has indicated that the train will travel via Brussels, making it a valuable addition to the existing night train network.
The company also promises increased capacity: whereas the Nightjet split its 12 coaches between Paris – Vienna and Paris – Berlin connections, European Sleeper plans to run 12 to 14 coaches directly to Berlin, potentially accommodating up to 700 passengers per journey.
A growing night train network in Europe
Despite the decision by Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) to discontinue its Nightjet service in mid-December this year, the renaissance of night trains in Europe appears set to continue.
Berlin will soon benefit from improved rail links to Poland, with seven daily direct trains to Warsaw and new overnight Eurocity services to Przemysl and Chelm via major Polish cities.
Meanwhile, Swiss railway SBB has announced a new night train from Basel to Malmö via Germany and Denmark, launching on April 15th, 2026.
This EuroNight service will run three times a week in both directions, offering around 350 seats in sleeping cars, couchettes, and seated coaches. The Swiss government is supporting the service with substantial funding, pending parliamentary approval.
READ ALSO: The destinations you can reach by direct night train from Berlin
Why is the Austrian service ending?
ÖBB took the decision to discontinue its Nightjet services between Paris and Berlin, and Paris and Vienna, after only two years of operation. The main reason given was the withdrawal of French government subsidies, which had previously covered millions of euros in annual losses.
Despite strong demand, night trains are expensive to operate, partly because they remain idle during the day unlike high-speed trains which can make multiple trips.
European Sleeper hopes to improve profitability through a different ownership model – a cooperative in which supporters can buy shares to help finance operations – and by running longer trains with higher capacity.
The service certainly appears to be popular. More than 91,000 people signed a petition organised by a French campaign group called Oui au train de nuit following the announcement by ÖBB that the Nightjet would cease to operate.
Members of the group even threw a pyjama party on the platforms of Paris’ Gare de l’Est in protest.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thelocal.de
