SNCF train in Paris (Photo by Willy’s Pictures/ullstein bild via Getty Images)
ullstein bild via Getty Images
On a continent crisscrossed by rails, high-speed trains and sleeper trains make it easy to get around Europe. It’s been that way for more than a century, yet Europe is in the midst of another rail revolution. Speed is at the forefront as rail companies focus on building a new breed of high-speed trains and opening up new routes. It’s making connecting European cities easier — and faster than ever.
The return of sleeper trains is also part of this massive change in European railways. A night train trip between cities is an efficient way to use your time. It departs one city center and arrives in another, eliminating airport transfers, flight delays, and extra hours of waiting time. This year is winding up with new sleeper train routes that have just debuted or will launch in the next few months. Here are five new trains, both high-speed and sleeper trains, newly launched or ready to roll in the next few months.
Paris-Berlin
This new high-speed train is a partnership between German rail operator Deutsche Bahn and SNCF of France. Debuting on December 16, 2024, the new train will allow passengers to travel between Berlin and Paris in just eight hours. The route will stop in Strasbourg, France, and the German cities of Frankfurt and Karlsruhe. Daytime travel between the two capitals currently requires a connection, and the journey ranges between nine and 10.5 hours. There is also an ÖBB Nightjet night train between the cities, but that takes 13 hours and 15 minutes, with departures just three days per week.
Central Station. Amsterdam. Holland. Europe. (Photo by: Stefano Cellai/REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Amsterdam-Brussels
Eurocity Direct, a new high-speed train linking Brussels and Amsterdam, will launch on December 15, 2024. It will make for a fast connection of about two hours and fifteen minutes, shaving 45 minutes off the current three-hour trip. A partnership between Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) and SNCB, the National Railway Company of Belgium, the new service will make 16 roundtrips daily. Additional stops include Antwerp, Belgium, Rotterdam, and Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands.
A Nightjet train. Photo: Christian Charisius/dpa (Photo by Christian Charisius/picture alliance via Getty Images)
dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images
Vienna – Rome
Launched in September, this sleeper train from NightJet, part of the Austrian national rail company ÖBB, links two of Europe’s most vibrant cities, Vienna and Rome. Departing Vienna Central Station shortly after 7 PM. , it arrives at Rome Tiburtina Station the next morning shortly after 11 AM, with stops that include Bologna and Florence in Italy. On the return, it departs Rome shortly after 7 PM and arrives in Vienna around 11 AM.
Rome – Cortina d’Ampezzo
You can thank FS Treni Turistici Italiani (Italian Tourist Trains) for reintroducing a classic mode of travel with a taste of 1930s glamor. Espresso Cadore debuted last winter to connect Rome with the chicest Italian ski resort, Cortina d’Ampezzo, in the heart of the Dolomites. This elegant ski town hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956 and will do so again in 2026. The retro sleeper train departs Termini station in the heart of the Eternal City around 10 pm on Fridays, arriving at Calalzo-Pieve di Cadore-Cortina station around 8 am on Saturdays, with a Sunday-Monday return. The dining room has a touch of La Dolce Vita, with white-jacketed servers and white tablecloth dining. Breakfast is included, and a multi-course dinner is available. Apres ski lovers should note that the bar stays open all night. Book through Italia Rail.
Tourists gather in front of the Santa Lucia railway station in Venice. (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP) (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
Brussels – Venice
European Sleeper is launching a new route in February 2025 connecting Brussels, Belgium, and Venice, Italy. Better yet, the route will include stops in some of the continent’s favorite cities, including Antwerp, Belgium; Rotterdam and Utrecht in the Netherlands; Munich and Cologne in Germany; Innsbruck, Austria; and Bolzano and Verona in Italy. The Innsbruck stop makes it a great option for skiers heading to the Austrian Alps, while Bolzano is a gateway to the Italian Dolomites. The service will initially be twice weekly, departing Brussels at 5 PM and arriving in Venice at 2 PM. In reverse, it leaves Venice at 3 PM and arrives in Brussels at 11 AM.
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Publish date : 2024-10-31 14:23:00
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