Paris-Berlin night train: European Sleeper announces the relaunch of the line for March 2026

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Paris-Berlin night train: European Sleeper announces the relaunch of the line for March 2026

A few weeks ago, we regretfully announced that the Paris-Berlin and Paris-Vienna night trains - operated by SNCF Voyageurs and ÖBB - would be discontinued in December 2025 due to a lack of financial support and commitment from the government (more info in our article "Paris–Berlin and Paris-Vienna night trains: can they still be saved?"). The news sparked a huge wave of protest, with nearly 100,000 signatures on the petition launched by the Oui au train de nuit collective. But despite the voices of passengers and encouraging statements from Jean Castex (the new CEO of the SNCF Group), a relaunch in 2026 now seemed unrealistic...

That was without counting on the arrival of a new player in the equation: the European Sleeper company has just announced that it will be taking up the torch, with a relaunch of the Paris-Berlin night train line in March 2026! This is unexpected news for European rail.

Members of Club HOURRAIL! will not only have access to the Premium version of our app, but will also benefit from a 20% discount on this new Paris-Berlin night train, as well as on all European Sleeper journeys in 2026! Full details at the end of the article.

Paris-Berlin European Sleeper night train: when and how will it connect Paris to Berlin?

The first departure from Paris is scheduled for Thursday, March 26, 2026, with tickets going on sale on December 16, 2025.

The service will run three times a week:

From Paris: Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings, arriving in Berlin the following morning.
From Berlin: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings, arriving in Paris in the morning.

Specific details of the route and timetable will be announced shortly, but the train will likely pass through Brussels.

Objective: to create synergy with the existing Brussels-Berlin-Prague line, already operated by European Sleeper, in order to provide a total of six trips per week between Brussels and Berlin.

According to the company, this arrangement should make the new Paris-Berlin connection “both more economically sustainable and beneficial for the current night train network.” It would also offer more connections for travelers (particularly from the United Kingdom, thanks to an easier connection with Eurostar in Brussels).

How much will the trip cost and what options will be available on board?

Tickets will be offered at prices comparable to those of the current Nightjet, with the usual three comfort classes (seats, 6-berth compartment, 3-bed comfort compartment: more infos here).

European Sleeper's ambition is clear: to make night trains accessible to everyone, whether you're looking for an economical trip or premium comfort.

European Sleeper: who are we talking about, anyway?

Behind the Dutch-Belgian cooperative European Sleeper lies a mission: to reconnect major European cities through a sustainable, profitable, and socially responsible model.

Since its launch in 2023, the company has already established itself as one of the few independent rail operators in Europe, with:

more than 230,000 passengers,
more than 750 trains operated,
and a rapidly expanding Brussels-Amsterdam-Berlin-Dresden-Prague line.

European Sleeper is also preparing new routes to Switzerland, Italy, and Spain starting in 2026, with two potential new itineraries:

Amsterdam/Brussels - Switzerland or Milan,
and a night train to Barcelona.

The coming months should confirm the continuation of this expansion. The goal? To create a true European nighttime network, from Amsterdam to Prague, from Paris to Barcelona, in the spirit of slow, low-carbon travel. Stay tuned...

And the good news is that anyone can join the adventure! The cooperative allows you to invest from €280 to support the development of the European night train network.

Participate in the crowdfunding campaign

The company is currently seeking to raise €1.3 million, followed by an additional €1 million in early December, to finance the launch of the Paris–Berlin route (access to rolling stock, preparation costs, coverage of start-up losses, etc.).

Even without any guarantee of public funding, European Sleeper has decided to take the risk and “go for it anyway.” This is a rare bold move in the railway industry.

Who is European Sleeper working with?

The project is well underway thanks to close collaboration with infrastructure managers: SNCF Réseau (France), Infrabel (Belgium), and DB InfraGO (Germany) are actively supporting the company in preparing train paths and services. This is a powerful symbol of European railway cooperation.

The company says it is ready to work hand in hand with ÖBB and SNCF Voyageurs "to ensure a smooth transition between their current Nightjet trains and the new Paris–Berlin European Sleeper service."

“We are proud to launch this essential service in the European night train network. It demonstrates that an entrepreneurial approach can strengthen international rail links while contributing to more sustainable mobility in Europe,” said Chris Engelsman, co-founder of European Sleeper.

And what about Paris-Vienna?

While the relaunch of the Paris–Berlin route is excellent news, the battle for European night trains is not yet won. The Paris–Vienna route remains suspended to this day.

The Oui au train de nuit french collective is continuing its campaign with a petition, which has already gathered tens of thousands of signatures.

Sign the petition

At HOURRAIL!, we hope that the momentum surrounding the Paris-Berlin route will inspire a similar trajectory for the Paris-Vienna route, and that the French and European authorities will seize this momentum to strengthen the continental night network.

Exclusive offer for HOURRAIL Club members!

And because good news never comes alone: European Sleeper is offering an exclusive discount to all HOURRAIL Club members! 20% off all journeys (Paris-Berlin, Brussels-Prague, etc.) in 2026!

👉 Want to take advantage of this offer? Join Club HOURRAIL! now and enjoy exclusive access to our app by participating in our crowdfunding campaign on Ulule.

The offer will be valid until December 31, 2025 for all our members. In concrete terms, you can enjoy:

20% off tickets for the Brussels-Prague route starting now,
20% off tickets for the new Paris-Berlin route when sales open on December 16.

By participating in our Ulule campaign, you will contribute to the development of our app, but you will also enjoy many other exclusive benefits like this one.

Participate and enjoy!

Written by Sophie Renassia

Issue du monde de la communication et des médias, Sophie est Responsable éditoriale chez HOURRAIL ! depuis août 2024. Elle est notamment derrière le contenu éditorial du site ainsi que La Locomissive (de l'inspiration voyage bas carbone et des bons plans, un jeudi sur deux, gratuitement dans ta boîte mail !).

Convaincue que les changements d’habitude passent par la transformation de nos imaginaires, elle s’attache à montrer qu’il est possible de voyager autrement, de manière plus consciente, plus lente et plus joyeuse. Son objectif : rendre le slow travel accessible à toutes et tous, à travers des astuces, des décryptages et surtout, de nouveaux récits.