Night Trains in Europe: Collapse or Comeback?

Written by Sophie Renassia

Published today

In 1981, France was crisscrossed by more than a hundred night train lines. Forty years later, only two were still running. Over the past few years, many of us have watched one of our favourite night train routes disappear: Hendaye-Lisbon in 2020, Paris-Madrid, Paris-Barcelona, Paris-Rome in 2013… The list goes on, and the trend extends across Europe.

To understand this paradox, we dove into the history of a mode of transport as fragile as it is mythical. From its golden age to chronic underinvestment, from its post-Covid revival to the threat of another collapse, Europe’s night train network is at a turning point. So, is this the end or the beginning of a new chapter? Let’s unpack it.

From Golden Age to Everyday Travel: When Night Trains Made Europe Dream

Orient Express, Pullman and Wagons-Lits: the birth of a legend

It all begins in the United States in the 1860s, when George Pullman designs the first modern sleeping cars: real berths, lighting, privacy. A revolution. For the first time, passengers didn’t endure the night—they slept through it.

A Belgian engineer, Georges Nagelmackers, brings the idea to Europe and founds the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. His ambition? A vast network of luxury trains spanning the continent.

In 1883, the legend is born: the Orient Express—an irresistible mix of diplomacy, literature, aristocracy… and perhaps a few spies. It quickly becomes the global symbol of night trains. (And yes, we wrote a full article about it if you're curious.)

After the war: from luxury to everyday necessity

World War II changes everything. Sleeping cars are requisitioned—some for troops, others for medical use. Even the Orient Express serves military logistics. Overnight, night trains stop being glamorous and become essential.

In the postwar years, with paid holidays and booming tourism, they become the ideal solution for families: leave after work, sleep on board, wake up at your holiday destination.

Between 1965 and 1980, night train traffic doubles. Up to 16% of SNCF’s passenger traffic is made up of night services.

This is the era when France operates around twenty major night lines, and Europe dreams of an integrated night network—the precursor to a coordinated European rail system that never quite materialised.

How Europe’s Night Trains Nearly Disappeared

A business model under strain

Rail transport is structurally unprofitable because it exists to serve the public: accessible mobility across the territory, heavy infrastructure maintenance, regulated fares. High-speed rail (TGV) is the exception—it covers its costs. Everything else depends on public funding.

And for night trains, the equation is even tougher:
– only one round trip per day
– more expensive rolling stock
– limited profitability
– competition from low-cost flights, long-distance buses and carpooling

Night-time engineering works: the number-one obstacle

All rail maintenance happens at night. On France’s ageing network—century-old tracks, 70-year-old catenaries—works are constant.

The result?
– 1 in 6 night trains cancelled in the past two years
– up to 1 in 3 on Paris–Briançon or Paris–Tarbes

Night trains are the barometer of network health. As Réseau Action Climat summarises: “If the night train runs, everything runs.”

They use the classic network, travel long distances and operate exclusively at night. So when the network deteriorates, they’re the first to suffer.

A Europe that doesn’t coordinate

If you've ever tried booking an international night train, you know: not the smoothest experience. On SNCF Connect, operators like European Sleeper, Trenitalia or ÖBB sometimes don’t even appear. Travellers must juggle multiple platforms and incompatible booking systems.

Without harmonised ticketing, Europe’s night train revival remains fragile.

Rolling stock: a hard ceiling

France today owns just 129 couchette cars. A tiny fleet that prevents launching new lines, offering alternative routes during works, or absorbing demand—trains sell out far too quickly.

To give a sense of scale: around €2 million for a couchette car, €8 million for a locomotive. For private operators, securing financing is a major hurdle.

A lack of political will that weakens everything

Another key factor in the decline is the absence of political commitment. Contrary to popular belief, night trains didn’t fail because of a lack of passengers—they fill up extremely well, sometimes too well due to limited capacity. What’s missing is a clear public vision.

Night trains aren’t just a product—they’re a public service, a territorial tool, a climate lever. And like any public service, they require strong state support.

Rolling stock is expensive, and private operators struggle to obtain loans. This means governments play a decisive role: a public order doesn’t just buy trains—it launches an entire supply chain and sets a model others can use. Without this, everything becomes slower, costlier, more fragile.

As long as night trains aren’t considered a mobility priority, the system remains vulnerable to political shifts.

From Post-Covid Revival to a New Decline

2021–2023: the comeback of iconic routes

Covid changes travel behaviours. People fly less, reflect more, and become aware of their environmental impact. Suddenly, the night train re-enters the collective imagination.

Examples:
– Paris–Nice reborn in 2021
– Paris–Tarbes–Lourdes follows
– Paris–Aurillac returns in 2023
– Paris–Berlin launches in late 2023 with ÖBB Nightjet (70% average occupancy, up to 90% in summer)

Private operators also join the movement:
– Midnight Trains (premium night-train hotel Paris–Milan–Barcelona)
– Dolce Vita Orient Express (Italian luxury, design and gastronomy)

The message is clear: the night train appeals to everyone, from backpackers to high-end travellers.

2024–2025: a new collapse ahead?

In 2025, amid political instability, the French government withdraws subsidies for Paris–Berlin and Paris–Vienna. A major blow: these lines were emblematic of the night train revival.

ÖBB, lacking financial support, announces both lines will end on 14 December 2025. Not due to poor ridership—occupancy was excellent—but because the political framework collapsed.

A reminder: night trains can be revived by a public decision… and undone by one just as fast.

Public mobilisation is immediate: nearly 100,000 signatures to save the two lines.

The petition is still active, because although Paris–Berlin has been “saved” (taken over by European Sleeper from March 2026), Paris–Vienna remains under threat:

Towards New Hope: Can Night Trains Truly Return for Good?

A long-awaited industrial boost from the state

One of the best pieces of news in recent years is the French government’s massive rolling-stock order: 27 locomotives and 180 couchette cars, with an option to expand to 340. The first such order in over 40 years.

This isn’t just procurement—it’s an industrial revival. It sets a shared standard, reduces barriers for private operators, and places night trains back into long-term rail strategy.

New actors ready to write the next chapter

Alongside this public momentum, a new generation of operators is proving that night trains can become a space for innovation again. European Sleeper is one of the most exciting examples: their arrival in France, with the ambition to relaunch Paris–Berlin, signals real confidence in the future of European rail. Despite challenges—visibility, occupancy, rolling stock—they move forward with a clear belief: demand exists, and passengers are eager for reliable, accessible night trains.

And they're not alone. Nox, led by Thibaut Constant, embodies this fresh creative energy entering the sector. New operators show that night trains are no longer a relic but a living market capable of attracting entrepreneurs who genuinely believe in their potential. Their success, however, still depends on stable public policy, fair access to rail paths, and a well-maintained network.

A future that will depend on political choices

Night-time engineering works, expensive rolling stock, lack of European coordination, and competition from heavily subsidised air travel all create an uneven playing field. Without strong public commitment, night trains can’t scale.

Yet the potential is enormous: in France alone, a fleet of 600 cars could carry 6 million passengers annually—12 million in the long term—while avoiding nearly one million tonnes of CO₂ per year.

At a crossroads: realism and hope

Night trains didn’t nearly disappear because they were useless. They nearly disappeared because we stopped giving them the means to exist.

Today, anything is possible: a new golden age… or a new collapse.

The choice doesn’t depend on passengers (they’re here) or operators (they’re ready), but on a collective decision: to recognise night trains as a tool for the future, powerful, modern, efficient, and essential in a Europe seeking sustainable travel that still leaves room for wonder.

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.

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