There is “light at the end of the tunnel” for the Paris-Berlin night train. After the “kink in the tracks” caused by ÖBB’s announcement that it would ax its Nightjet service in December, a new operator has emerged. The Dutch cooperative European Sleeper has confirmed it will take over the route, with its first service scheduled for March 26, 2026, ensuring the French and German capitals remain connected by night.
The new service is a significant victory for the 91,000 people who signed a petition by the French campaign group ‘Oui au train de nuit!’. This group, which had held a “pyjama party” protest, called the announcement a “partial victory.” The original service was cancelled after the French government ended its subsidies.
The new operator is planning a high-capacity service, running three times a week. Departures from Paris Gare du Nord are slated for Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday evenings, with return journeys from Berlin on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This schedule is designed to be a reliable alternative for the thousands of passengers who used the Nightjet.
European Sleeper’s co-founder, Chris Engelsman, is confident in the new service, highlighting its superior capacity. The new train will run 12-14 coaches directly to Berlin, carrying 600-700 passengers, a significant increase from the split Nightjet service. The new train will also forge a new path, traveling via Brussels.
The company, which has been operating since 2023, is known for its “no-frills nostalgia” and has a mixed record on reliability. The new route will use 1990s German-rented coaches, a step up from their older stock. However, Engelsman confirmed there will be no dining car at launch, citing the “challenge” of profitability, a common economic hurdle in the rail industry.