Avid rail users may have been disappointed to learn that the Paris-Berlin/Vienna night train, run in partnership with French, Austrian and German national railways, will be discontinued on December 14 due to lack of funding, but there are plenty of new and recently revived sleeper train routes across Europe to look forward to. This included a night train between Stockholm and Berlin, which was supposed to suffer the same fate as the Paris-Berlin/Vienna train in 2026, but private German group RDC Deutschland intervened to keep it running.
Operating international night trains is not without its challenges. “Night trains cannot operate without the participation of international partners,” Austria’s ÖBB, Europe’s largest night train provider, said in a statement shared with reporters. Despite the challenges, some European governments and private companies are still willing to bet on sleeper trains.
From a traveler’s perspective, night trains are practical and fun. Traveling while sleeping saves you time spent going through airport security. As you lie on the train, you’ll sleep looking out at the scenery outside the window, knowing that you’ll wake up in a new country and have a whole day ahead of you. Additionally, trains are the most environmentally friendly option. A sustainability study by Eurostar (which, while not an overnight train, is by far the best way to travel between Paris and London) found that the carbon footprint of traveling between the two capitals is a whopping 97 percent lower by train than by plane.
Whether you’re looking for a last-minute train trip to Europe or looking ahead to the future, we’ve got you covered with some of the latest night train routes and new itineraries launching in 2026.
From Helsinki to Finnish Lapland
Finland’s national railway company VR Group currently plans to enhance its night train services, including the Santa Claus Express from Helsinki to Lapland. In 2023, VR has ordered nine new double-decker sleeping cars with comfortable, modern interiors that are “like a hotel room.” These are scheduled to be operational in 2026.
Baltic Express from Prague to Poland’s Baltic coast
Last spring and summer, two new night trains were introduced by Polish operator PKP Intercity. These include the Baltic Express, which ran between Prague, the Czech Republic and Gdynia on Poland’s Baltic coast from April to August. It was so popular that the service was extended until September. Several Polish news sites have reported that both the Baltic Express and Adriatic Express (below) will return in 2026, with one site stating that Baltic Express night trains will become permanent from December 2025.
Adriatic Express from Warsaw to Croatia’s Adriatic Coast
Another overnight route from Poland’s PKP Intercity is the Adriatic Express, which operated between Warsaw and Rijeka, on the northern tip of Croatia’s Adriatic coast, from late June to August 2025.
Espresso Monaco from Rome to Munich for Oktoberfest and Christmas Market
Italy’s FS Treni Turistici Italiani will start operating in 2024, running limited night trains known as Espresso routes, including the Espresso Riviera, which runs along the glittering Mediterranean coast between Rome and Marseille from July to August. This year, two new espresso trains have been launched from Rome. For four weekends in September and early October, the Espresso Monaco brought revelers to Munich for Oktoberfest. Now the same train will start the Christmas season on December 5th with two weekend trips to Munich for the Christmas market. The connection between Munich and Rome is likely to become permanent, with Train Pro reporting that Trenitalia, Deutsche Bahn and ÖBB have signed an agreement for a high-speed line starting in 2026.
European Sleeper from Brussels to Venice (and in some cases Milan and Barcelona)
Belgian-Dutch cooperative European Sleeper currently operates night trains from Brussels to Prague, with stops in popular capitals such as Amsterdam and Berlin. “We started European Sleeper because we have a passion for night trains and the way they connect people, cities and cultures across Europe,” said co-founder Chris Engelsmann. “Our mission is to make sustainable overnight train travel a natural and exciting option for more travelers across the continent.” The startup has big expansion plans. It operated a seasonal route from Brussels to Venice last winter and is hoping to reinstate this route. “(Their) passion continues to drive us as we expand our network, potentially enabling new routes to Milan in 2026 and possibly Barcelona in 2027,” Engelmann said.
Travel Ski Night Express from Paris to the Alps
New this winter is the French Travel Ski Night Express. This is a night train that connects Paris to Bourg Saint-Maurice in the Savoie region, known for its ski areas. From December 19, 2025 to March 20, 2026, trains will depart from Paris on a Friday evening, arrive in Bourg-Saint-Maurice on a Saturday morning, depart for Paris the following Saturday evening, and arrive on a Sunday morning. This overnight train to the slopes is an all-inclusive package that includes transportation, transfers, accommodation, ski passes, and optional gear rental (from 1,256 euros or approximately $1,461 per person, based on current exchange rates).
Britannic Explorers from London to Cornwall and Wales
Belmond has been operating luxury sleeper trains for many years, making them a destination not just for travel but for entire vacations. In July 2025, the luxury hospitality company launched Britannic Explorer, the first luxury sleeper train in England and Wales, with three-night itineraries to and from London.
