Nightjet’s Paris-Berlin Service to End, But European Sleeper Offers Replacement

The Austrian state operator ÖBB has confirmed it is axing its popular Nightjet services from Paris to both Vienna and Berlin, with the last train running on December 14. The company cited the end of French government subsidies as the reason for the withdrawal, a move that dealt a major blow to the night train revival. This decision had sparked a “pyjama party” protest at Paris Gare de l’Est by the ‘Oui au train de nuit!’ campaign group, which had gathered 91,000 petition signatures.
However, there is “light at the end of the tunnel” for the Berlin route. The Dutch cooperative European Sleeper has announced it will be taking over the service, with its first train scheduled for March 26, 2026. This new service has been hailed as a “partial victory” by the French campaign group, ensuring the vital link remains open.
European Sleeper’s service will be a high-capacity operation, running three times a week. Departures from Paris Gare du Nord are planned for Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday evenings, with return journeys from Berlin on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The company’s co-founder, Chris Engelsman, is confident the service will be a success, thanks to its superior capacity.
Engelsman explained that the new service will run 12 to 14 coaches directly to Berlin, accommodating 600-700 passengers. This is a significant increase from the Nightjet, which had to split its 12-coach train between its Vienna and Berlin destinations. The new service will also forge a new path, traveling via Brussels.
While the route is secure, the onboard experience will be pragmatic. European Sleeper will use 1990s-era German-rented coaches, which are described as comparable to the Nightjet. However, the company has confirmed there will be no dining car at the start, as the high operational and staff costs make it “difficult to break even” on food and drink sales.