A major shake-up in the European sleeper train market will see the Dutch cooperative European Sleeper take over the Paris-Berlin route in 2026. This move comes after the Austrian operator ÖBB announced it would scrap its Nightjet service on the same line in December due to the end of French government subsidies. The cancellation had been a setback for the night train renaissance, but European Sleeper’s entry provides a new, commercially-driven solution.
The new service is set to launch on March 26, 2026, and will run three times a week. Departures from Paris Gare du Nord are planned for Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday evenings, with return trips from Berlin’s Hauptbahnhof and Ostbahnhof stations on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings. This schedule is designed to be a reliable alternative for passengers.
European Sleeper is promising a significant capacity advantage. Co-founder Chris Engelsman stated that the new train will have 12 to 14 coaches, all dedicated to the Berlin route, allowing for 600-700 passengers. This is a key difference from the Nightjet, which had to split its 12-coach train from Paris between Berlin and Vienna.
The new service will also feature a new route, with plans to travel via Brussels. This strategic change, which is pending final confirmation with infrastructure managers, will create a new sleeper connection for the Belgian capital, linking three major EU hubs. This development has been celebrated by rail advocates who had protested the Nightjet’s cancellation.
The company, which has been operating since 2023, is known for its “no-frills nostalgia.” The new route will use 1990s German-rented coaches, which are an upgrade on some of their older stock. However, in a sign of the economic challenges, Engelsman confirmed the service will launch without a dining car, as the high costs make it a “challenge” to profitability.