Night trains in France: Where do we stand?

Written by Sophie Renassia

Published yesterday

Night trains in France: Where do we stand?

Cheaper, more convenient, more environmentally friendly... With more than a million passengers in France in 2024, night trains seem to have returned to center stage since the early 2020s, after virtually disappearing from the rails. So why is it that, despite this momentum, the offer remains static and lines are increasingly saturated? And how can night trains in France be scaled up? In its new report “Trains de nuit, Le réveil a sonné” on night train use in France, the Climate Action Network takes a hard look at the situation, and calls for a step change. Because behind this return to the rails lie structural limits that must be overcome. Read on.

Night trains: where do things stand in France?

Record Numbers Reflecting Real Enthusiasm

In 2024, night trains carried over one million passengers in France—more than double the figure from 2019, and up 26% in just one year. Lines such as Paris–Toulouse, Paris–Nice, or Paris–Cerbère are nearly saturated. During summer, the Paris–Nice line was fully booked more than two days out of three, leaving many travelers stranded.

The Paris–Toulouse line alone attracted nearly 100,000 additional passengers between 2019 and 2024 and is increasingly used by professionals (30% of passengers in 2023) wanting to arrive early in Paris or Toulouse for work.

A Solution for Rural Areas as Well as Cities

Night trains tick all the boxes:

Affordable: Often cheaper than the equivalent high-speed TGV (e.g. €56 vs. €84 for Paris–Toulouse), and saves the cost of a hotel night.
Territorial cohesion: Serves isolated areas (like Briançon) and connects distant cities without passing through Paris (e.g. Bordeaux–Lyon).
Eco-friendly: Among the top 10 air routes from France to Europe, at least 6 could be replaced by night trains (e.g. Paris–Madrid, Paris–Barcelona, Paris–Milan, Paris–Rome, Nice–London, Paris–Venice).

Night trains in France don’t only serve major cities. They are crucial for rural and mid-sized towns poorly connected by TGV or plane: Aurillac, Briançon, Latour-de-Carol… They also promote social justice, with generally cheaper fares than daytime equivalents.

Insufficient Offering and Overcrowded Trains Due to Lack of Sleeping Cars

The revival is incomplete: international routes are almost non-existent and still centralized around Paris. Only two cross-border night trains exist (Paris–Vienna and Paris–Berlin, three times a week), yet demand remains high despite frequent delays and three months of suspended service in 2024.

Domestic lines are nearly saturated, with occupancy exceeding 80% on the two main routes (Paris–Toulouse and Paris–Nice). Result? Full trains, no available tickets, and many travelers forced to drive, fly (more polluting), or cancel their trip altogether.

Why? There simply aren’t enough sleeping cars. The current fleet caps at 129 cars—far below actual demand. A call for bids plans to add 180 cars starting in 2030, but according to Réseau Action Climat, that won’t be enough. Some routes, like Paris–Barcelona or Bordeaux–Nice, would require at least 300 cars to open!

Scaling Up: How to Expand the Night Train Network in France

Better Management of Nighttime Rail Works

One in six night trains is canceled due to rail works. On some lines, it’s one in three. Yet solutions exist: use alternate routes, deploy bi-mode locomotives, and better schedule works.

Unlocking Investment to Expand the Fleet: 12 Million Potential Passengers by 2040

To ease congestion and open new lines, significantly more sleeping cars are needed beyond today’s 129.

If scaled up, night trains could boom. The report outlines two expansion scenarios by 2035:

340 Sleeping Cars (to Relaunch Cross-Country Lines Without Going Through Paris)

With 340 sleeping cars (the upper limit of the current government tender), international routes like Paris–Barcelona and cross-country lines like Nice–Strasbourg could be reopened.

Map of planned night services for a 600-car fleet

Modelling of night services for a 340-car fleet - © Climate Action Network

→ This would allow 3.6 million passengers annually and save 450,000 tons of CO₂ equivalent per year!

600 Sleeping Cars (to Multiply International Routes)

With 600 cars (recommended by the Ministry of Transport’s reference report), a true European night rail network becomes possible.

→ Serving capitals like Paris–Rome, Paris–Madrid, as well as underserved routes such as Strasbourg–Perpignan, Dijon–Rome, Lyon–Barcelona, Lyon–Perpignan.

Modelling of national lines for a fleet of +600 cars - © Réseau Action Climat

Modelling of the international lines envisaged for a fleet of +600 cars - © Climate Action Network

→ 5.9 million passengers/year and 850,000 tons of CO₂ saved!

And by 2040?

A fleet of 1,200 sleeping cars would open fully international routes without going through Paris (Lyon–Rome, Nantes–Barcelona, Marseille–London…).

→ Nearly 1 million tons of CO₂ avoided per year. A major contribution to decarbonizing the transport sector, where aviation remains the most polluting mode per passenger-km.

Map of planned night services for a fleet of 1,200 cars

Modelling of national lines for a fleet of +1200 cars - © Réseau Action Climat

Modelling of the international lines envisaged for a fleet of +1200 cars - © Climate Action Network

La modélisation des lignes internationales envisagées pour un parc de +1200 voitures - © Réseau Action Climat

Rethinking the Economic Model

Night trains aren’t a loss-making venture—far from it. A denser network would cut unit costs via shared maintenance, marketing, etc., in addition to its clear social and environmental benefits.

In 2020, political will brought night trains back. It’s needed again to scale up. The May 5 Infrastructure Financing Conference is a major opportunity to secure funding, build a second maintenance center, and ramp up to 340 cars quickly.

Night Trains in Europe: A Realistic Ambition

A European Night Train Network is Possible

With a modernized fleet and a second technical center, France could be a European night rail hub with lines like Paris–Barcelona, Paris–Vienna, Paris–Rome, Nantes–Milan, Nantes–Barcelona, Lille–Nice, Lyon–Naples, Marseille–London.

What about travelers? According to an Europe on Rails survey, 72% of citizens would take the night train over flying if tickets were reasonably priced and available.

Our Ultimate Guide to Night Trains in Europe

The Role of the French State in the Night Train Revival

The report calls on the French state to:

Activate the optional clause in the rolling stock tender to reach 340 cars and fund a second maintenance center. The Austerlitz depot is maxed out at 150 cars. A new center—possibly in Nice—could take 4 to 5 years to build. Decision needed now to launch new lines this decade.
Raise the air ticket tax (TSBA) to fund rail investments and end aviation’s unjust tax advantages. Learn more here!
Support new private night train operators like European Sleeper (explored in this article) by ordering standardized trains for use across Europe.

A Transport Mode Fit for the 21st Century

Night trains are:

Low-carbon, with minimal emissions and no need for heavy new infrastructure.
Inclusive, connecting mid-sized towns and rural areas ignored by the TGV.
Affordable, avoiding hotel costs.
Practical, turning a night into a useful travel period—less stressful than flying, more time-efficient.

And beyond all that, they spark the imagination: slow travel, rediscovering landscapes, crossing Europe without leaving the ground.

Night trains are proving their worth in sustainable mobility. But as the Réseau Action Climat report reveals, demand is surging while supply lags—limited by lack of equipment, poor work coordination, and a timid vision.

To make night trains a true alternative to flying, we must scale up. That means long-term investment: in rolling stock, infrastructure, planning, and funding.

The potential is there. So are the passengers. Now we just need political will.

“The wake-up call has sounded”—time to get on board!