Sleeper Service Revival: ÖBB's Cuts Met with Relief as European Sleeper Takes Over Paris-Berlin Route
In a move that has been welcomed by passengers and campaigners alike, the Austrian state operator ÖBB has announced that it will be axing its two Nightjet services from Paris to Vienna and Paris to Berlin. The decision, which was met with opposition from groups such as Oui au train de nuit!, who protested against the cuts in September, had raised concerns about the resurgence of sleeper trains on the continent.
However, a silver lining has emerged for those who have been eagerly awaiting the return of night-train services between Paris and Berlin. European Sleeper, a Dutch cooperative, has announced that it will be taking over the route from 26 March 2026, with the first train set to depart from Paris Gare du Nord on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday evenings.
The new service is expected to operate three times a week, departing from Paris at around 7pm and traveling east via Brussels before reaching Berlin. According to Chris Engelsman, co-founder of European Sleeper, the company aims to offer higher capacity than ÖBB's Nightjet service, with a total of 600-700 passengers per coach.
The news has been met with enthusiasm by campaign groups such as Oui au train de nuit!, who had been protesting against the cuts. "This is a partial victory for the 91,000 people who signed our petition," said Nicolas Forien, spokesperson for the group.
European Sleeper has already gained experience running its own night-train services, having launched its inaugural service from Berlin to Brussels in May 2023 and extending the route to Dresden and Prague last year. The company has carried over 230,000 passengers on more than 750 night trains, despite receiving mixed reviews for technical glitches and delays.
However, many passengers have praised the firm's unique selling point: a nostalgic no-frills approach that emphasizes the journey itself as much as the destination. According to Engelsman, the new coaches on the Paris-Berlin route will be newer than ÖBB's existing stock, with German-rented coaches dating back to the 1990s.
Despite the excitement around the new service, there are still questions about the finer details – most notably, whether a dining car will be included. Engelsman revealed that this is not feasible at present, citing high rental costs and staff expenses as major barriers to profitability. However, tickets for the European Sleeper from Paris to Berlin are expected to start from €59 or €69 per person.
For now, passengers can look forward to a revived sleeper train service that promises to bring a welcome return of comfort and convenience between two of Europe's most iconic cities.
In a move that has been welcomed by passengers and campaigners alike, the Austrian state operator ÖBB has announced that it will be axing its two Nightjet services from Paris to Vienna and Paris to Berlin. The decision, which was met with opposition from groups such as Oui au train de nuit!, who protested against the cuts in September, had raised concerns about the resurgence of sleeper trains on the continent.
However, a silver lining has emerged for those who have been eagerly awaiting the return of night-train services between Paris and Berlin. European Sleeper, a Dutch cooperative, has announced that it will be taking over the route from 26 March 2026, with the first train set to depart from Paris Gare du Nord on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday evenings.
The new service is expected to operate three times a week, departing from Paris at around 7pm and traveling east via Brussels before reaching Berlin. According to Chris Engelsman, co-founder of European Sleeper, the company aims to offer higher capacity than ÖBB's Nightjet service, with a total of 600-700 passengers per coach.
The news has been met with enthusiasm by campaign groups such as Oui au train de nuit!, who had been protesting against the cuts. "This is a partial victory for the 91,000 people who signed our petition," said Nicolas Forien, spokesperson for the group.
European Sleeper has already gained experience running its own night-train services, having launched its inaugural service from Berlin to Brussels in May 2023 and extending the route to Dresden and Prague last year. The company has carried over 230,000 passengers on more than 750 night trains, despite receiving mixed reviews for technical glitches and delays.
However, many passengers have praised the firm's unique selling point: a nostalgic no-frills approach that emphasizes the journey itself as much as the destination. According to Engelsman, the new coaches on the Paris-Berlin route will be newer than ÖBB's existing stock, with German-rented coaches dating back to the 1990s.
Despite the excitement around the new service, there are still questions about the finer details – most notably, whether a dining car will be included. Engelsman revealed that this is not feasible at present, citing high rental costs and staff expenses as major barriers to profitability. However, tickets for the European Sleeper from Paris to Berlin are expected to start from €59 or €69 per person.
For now, passengers can look forward to a revived sleeper train service that promises to bring a welcome return of comfort and convenience between two of Europe's most iconic cities.
Finally, some decent news about trains! Who needs fancy airlines when you can sleep on a comfy coach and enjoy the view? 
European Sleeper is the real MVP 
the fact that öbb axed its services was super depressing, but european sleeper stepping in is like a breath of fresh air 
600-700 passengers per coach is still a lot more than öbb's nightjet, and i'm hyped to try out this nostalgic no-frills approach 
those german-rented coaches from the 90s are gonna be super retro cool 
gotta say though, €59 or €69 is kinda steep for tickets, hope they don't raise it too much later 
fingers crossed that dining car will become an option soon! 
! finally some good news about sleeper trains in europe! i've been following this story for ages and it's awesome to see european sleeper taking over the paris-berlin route 
. 600-700 passengers per coach is a big deal, and the nostalgic vibe of their approach is so refreshing 
. i do hope they'll have a dining car option tho, but €59/€69 seems like a pretty sweet deal 
. bring back the sleeper trains! 
. The fact that European Sleeper is offering higher capacity than ÖBB's Nightjet service is a major win for travelers like me who want some comfort on their journeys 
. And hey, if they can't afford a dining car yet, at least the prices look reasonable €59-€69 isn't too shabby 
just heard about this European Sleeper taking over the Paris-Berlin route 
no more cramped seats or annoying announcements, it's gonna be all about chill vibes on the train 
can't wait to hop on this new service when it launches 
, no need for fancy airports or traffic jams, just chillin on the train with good vibes & comfy seats 
, european sleeper is the answer to all our prayers 
, makes me wanna book my ticket ASAP 
oh great! finally someone is stepping in to save the night trains 
️
like i love sleeping on planes and trains so much! but honestly how much does the new coach cost tho? €59 or €69 is kinda steep for a train ride, dont get me wrong its still way cheaper than flying lol. anyway i heard that european sleeper is bringing back the nostalgic no-frills vibe which sounds really cool 