European Sleeper will operate its Berlin service to the Czech capital as long-distance trains gain traction in the EU revival
Starting in March, rail travelers can depart from Brussels or Amsterdam in the evening and arrive in Dresden or Prague the next morning, as Europe’s night train network expands further.
European Sleeper, which initiated night train services connecting the Belgian and Dutch capitals to Berlin in May, announced on Tuesday that the service will be expanded to include Dresden in eastern Germany and continue on to the Czech capital beginning March 25.
The cooperative between Belgium and the Netherlands stated that Prague was always the planned final destination for its first sleeper service from Brussels, but due to significant engineering projects south of Dresden, they initially chose to terminate the service in Berlin.
The company stated that it will now provide a “compelling schedule” with well-coordinated arrival and departure times, enabling passengers to depart from Brussels at 7:22 pm and reach Prague at 10:56 am, with stops in Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Děčín in the Czech Republic.
European Sleeper is also in the process of planning a winter night train between Amsterdam and the French Alps and is set to launch an EU-supported Amsterdam-Barcelona service in 2025. They anticipate that the addition of more sleeping cars will enhance comfort and the overall travel experience.
A resurgence of long-distance and sleeper train services in Europe is on the rise, driven by the EU’s support for more eco-friendly travel options and travelers’ increasing interest in alternatives to short-haul flights.
Last month, Austrian rail operator OBB and its German counterpart, Deutsche Bahn, announced the launch of their Nightjet service between Paris and Berlin on December 11th. The service will depart from Berlin, with the return journey scheduled for the next day. Initially operating three times a week, it is expected to become a daily service starting in autumn 2024. The trains will depart from Gare de l’Est in Paris at 7:12 pm and arrive at Berlin’s Hauptbahnhof at 8:26 am, with stops in Strasbourg, Mannheim, Erfurt, and Halle along the way.
The train from Berlin will leave at 8.18 pm, reaching Paris at 10.24 am. In 2021, Nightjet introduced its Vienna-Paris service, with stops in Salzburg and Munich. Furthermore, the company has plans to inaugurate a service connecting Brussels and Liège to Berlin in December.
Additionally, earlier this year, the French rail operator SNCF and Deutsche Bahn unveiled plans for a direct high-speed TGV service that will link Paris to Berlin in approximately seven hours, with a planned launch scheduled for the end of the upcoming year.
