Berlin-Paris night train on the verge of collapse: Europe's night train network in crisis

Just two years ago, the Berlin-Paris night train was launched. Since then, travelers have been able to travel from capital to capital on the Nightjets of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) – and quite comfortably, at least in the sleeping car. The service is in demand. Nevertheless, it will soon be discontinued. Deutsche Bahn will remove it from its timetable in December – for cost reasons.

The long-sought revival of the European night train is stalling. Other examples demonstrate this. The ÖBB Nightjet between Berlin and Brussels was discontinued in March. The Munich-Rijeka night train has been discontinued since this summer. And changes are also pending for the popular Berlin-Stockholm night train service.

Despite the existing demand, the business is expensive for operators. Track access charges are particularly high in Germany, a transit country. But elsewhere, too, little can be done without government subsidies.

In the case of the Berlin-Paris line, the French government no longer wants to provide subsidies. However, entering and exiting the terminal stations in Paris is particularly expensive, as two locomotives are required: one at the front and one at the back. Although the new French railway chief, Jean Castex, has now announced his intention to maintain the connection, this is unlikely to be achieved in the short term given the government's intense pressure to cut costs.

Swedish state railway SJ plans to discontinue the popular Berlin-Stockholm night train service starting in September 2026. State support for the year-round service will then expire. "Although we had many passengers and the train was often fully booked during peak season, it is definitely not profitable for SJ without the state subsidy," SJ Managing Director Christer Litzell told the "Järnvägar" website.

The private night train specialist RDC Deutschland, which has previously operated the route on behalf of SJ, intends to continue operating independently. "Services will continue jointly with SJ until August 31," a spokesperson assures. Ideally, thereafter, the transition should continue seamlessly. "We are currently in the planning phase for the period from September onwards. But one thing is already clear: we want to retain at least 50 percent of the current service." RDC brings the necessary experience and infrastructure to continue operating independently.

By subscribing to the newsletter, I agree to the advertising agreement .

The "Allianz pro Schiene" (Pro-Rail Alliance) also sees opportunities to make a night train network in Europe more economical than before. What needs to change for this? With regard to Germany, Managing Director Dirk Flege says: "One problem currently is the high track access charges, which quickly make even well-used connections unprofitable." In addition, there are competitive disadvantages compared to cross-border air travel. "Unlike rail transport, air travel pays neither VAT on tickets nor a kerosene tax." The investment costs for new night train carriages are also high.

Juri Maier of the European night train initiative "Back on Track" sees it similarly: "A state pool should be established for night trains; they need subsidies because they are not economically viable. The desirable solution would be for the EU to support this."

Maier is convinced: "Overall, the gap between current costs and profitability on the north-south axis is not that large. Where there are large populations and purchasing power, the trains could even run economically." This particularly applies to the route from London via Amsterdam, Cologne, Frankfurt/Main, and Switzerland to Milan. However, "Along the east-west axis on the route from Tallinn to Lisbon, it won't work without subsidies."

The passenger association Pro Bahn advocates for a pool from which providers can charter night trains. More coordination and transparency regarding construction sites are needed. "Uncoordinated construction sites result in trains being cancelled without replacement or not reaching their destination until around midday – which is too late for business travelers and some tourists."

Another problem remains the testing and approval of new trains: This doesn't work across Europe. "You have to redo it in every single country," complains Maier. This costs an enormous amount of time and money.

Nevertheless, two Berlin-based startups are currently working on reinventing the climate-friendly night train. At Luna Rail, mathematician Anton Dubrau and product designer Hendrik Lucka aim to make travel more economical by increasing the number of passengers. Instead of the usual 60 seats per car, they plan to offer 65 seats – and at the same time, more privacy. To achieve this, small, enclosed units will be arranged on two levels above each other. Since passengers can both sit and lie down in them, the car can also be used during the day. A prototype is currently being tested.

The German-French founding duo of the startup Nox also wants to offer modern private sleeper cabins on night trains – at prices that compete with low-cost airlines. They aim to enter the market as early as 2027, initially by converting old night train equipment. Only in the next step will new carriages be introduced. Both startups are currently still looking for investors.