Overnight train journeys in sleeping cars are becoming increasingly popular. The largest provider in Germany is the Austrian Federal Railways. New connections are now planned, for example from Berlin to Paris.
Deutsche Bahn and the Austrian Federal Railways (OBB) have announced new connections for the Europe-wide night train network. From December, Nightjet trains will run three times a week from Berlin and Vienna to Paris and Brussels. From autumn 2024, daily connections will be offered on the routes.
More cross-border connections
Deutsche Bahn discontinued its own follow-on train offer six years ago. However, several routes in Germany continued to be operated by ÖBB. Now the two companies want to further expand their cooperation, as they announced today.
Further changes to the cross-border long-distance train service are planned. The ICE route between Berlin and Vienna is to be extended to Hamburg. In addition, an ICE train will run every day from Berlin via Frankfurt am Main and Stuttgart to Innsbruck.
ÖBB wants to double the number of passengers on night trains
The DB Group justified the end of its own night trains at the end of 2016 by saying that they were too unprofitable. Since then, the DB has only had ICs and ICEs with seats that regularly travel overnight. But now night trains with sleeping cars are celebrating a comeback. Many people see them again as a comfortable and, above all, more climate-conscious alternative to flying. Since 2020, the number of offers has more than doubled from around 90 back then to over 200 connections today .
The new connections from Berlin to Paris and Brussels are “strong signs that DB and ÖBB believe in the night train product and will provide more services,” said Sabine Stock, ÖBB board member for passenger transport. “We want to double the number of passengers in Nightjet traffic by 2030.” Deutsche Bahn plays “an important role here, as many Nightjet lines start and end in Germany,” said Stock.
The demand is very high, said the ÖBB manager. “The current issue is capacity. We are currently at capacity,” said Stock. Many trains are completely full after the first day of booking.
Trains to Italy, Croatia, Hungary and Sweden
According to Allianz pro Schiene, ÖBB is the main provider and operator of night trains in Germany. From several major German cities they travel primarily towards Austria, Switzerland and Italy, but also to the Netherlands or Eastern European countries such as Croatia, Slovenia or Hungary. But there are also other operators.
For a few months now, the private company European Sleeper has been offering night trips from Berlin to Brussels via Amsterdam. With the Hungarian night train, travelers can also travel from Munich or Berlin to Budapest in their sleep. There is also the Croatian night train from Stuttgart and Munich to the capital Zagreb or the Adriatic metropolis Rijeka.
In addition, some providers head to holiday areas overnight during seasonal times. From May to October, for example, the “Alpen-Sylt Night Express” runs on weekends from Salzburg via Munich and from Basel via Frankfurt to the North Sea island and back. Since 2021 there has been a night train operated by the operator Snälltåget between Berlin and Stockholm during the summer months. Hamburg has also been connected to Stockholm since last autumn.
Source : Tages Schau
