Snuggle up between crisp, clean sheets, read by the glow of your berth light while the steel wheel whizzes on the steel rail beneath you – for more than a century, the sleeper train has been the most romantic way to cross Europe. Once commonplace, they have struggled in the shadows of budget airlines since the 1990s. Their low point came in 2016, when the largest operator, Deutsche Bahn (German Railways), pulled the plug on the City Night Line sleeper network, claiming it was impossible to operate sleeper trains commercially.
However, a much smaller operator stepped in and took a huge risk: ÖBB (Österreichische Bundesbahnen, Austrian Railways) bought DB’s sleeping cars and took over many of its routes, under a new name, as well as its own sleeping cars. Nightjet. The gamble paid off. ÖBB is now the largest sleeper company in Europe and the Nightjet network is in the black. As climate-conscious travelers increasingly look for a time-saving alternative to flying, ÖBB has carefully expanded its sleeper routes, restoring sleepers from Vienna to Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris and Berlin and from Amsterdam to Zurich. They often leave fully booked.
ÖBB is now investing in new trains and in December 2023 the first of 33 brand new Nightjets entered service from Hamburg to Vienna, Munich and Innsbruck. These smart new sleeper trains feature a toilet and shower in all single and twin sleeper cabins, traditional four-berth couchettes for families and friends, and innovative individual ‘mini cabins’ reminiscent of Japanese capsule hotels for those who want a bed and privacy , on a budget.
ÖBB is not the only operator that repairs sleepers. France has restored night trains from Paris to Nice and Lourdes. Italy orders new sleeper trains. Start-up train operator European Sleeper introduced a new night train from Brussels and Amsterdam to Berlin in May 2023 and expanded it to Prague in March this year.
The Swedish government has also purchased a Hamburg-Stockholm rail link to create a time-effective rail link between Germany and the home of Flygskam (‘flight shame’), later extended to and from Berlin. I drove the first departure in September 2022, which was not without teething problems: rolling stock to expand sleeping services is scarce and the renovated sleeping carriages were not ready on time. But the couchettes were comfortable, my traveling companion and I chatted over wine until midnight, slept well and woke up in the sun-drenched Swedish countryside before driving into the Swedish capital right on time. It reminded me why I love sleepers and why I’m glad they’re here to stay. A much more pleasant experience than a flight with a fraction of the emissions, and by departing in the evening and arriving the next morning, they take up fewer daytime hours than flying. And bunk beds on the train, what’s not to like?
Here are eight of the best night lines – two in the UK and five further afield.
1. Fall asleep in London, wake up in Cornwall
Imagine your favorite Cornish B&B on wheels. If you leave Paddington Station before midnight every day except Saturday, Night Riviera has cozy single and double rooms, a cozy lounge car and great staff. Wake up to Truro Cathedral and St Michael’s Mount before driving into sunny Penzance.
The details: From £125.40 for a single room, £114.90 per person for a double room (gwr.com).
2. Fall asleep in London, wake up in the West Highlands
The Caledonian Sleeper departs London Euston Monday to Friday at 9pm and travels to Fort William, at the foot of Ben Nevis, on Sunday at 9.15pm. Enjoy haggis, neeps and tatties in the lounge as you leave the Big Smoke, then wake up to gnarled oak trees, bubbling burns and deer bounding away from the train. Caledonian Double rooms even have a double bed, toilet and shower.
The details: From £140 for a single, £170 for a twin (sleeper.scot).
3. Fall asleep in Paris, wake up in Nice (or Cannes)
The current incarnation of the legendary Train Bleu departs Paris Austerlitz at 8:08 p.m., with first-class four-berth couchettes and second-class six-berth couchettes. Wake up to rocky headlands, yacht-filled coves, and millionaires’ villas as the train winds along the Cote d’Azur to reach Cannes at 8:57 AM and Nice at 9:25 AM.
The details: From €29 in a second class couchette, €69 in a first class couchette (sncf-connect.com).
4. Fall asleep in Paris, wake up in Salzburg
Take the 2:31 PM Eurostar from London to Paris Nord and walk to Gare de l’Est. A Nightjet sleeping car departs Paris Est at 7:12 PM on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and arrives in Salzburg at 7:26 AM, with four- and six-berth couchettes and one-, two- and three-bed berths, some with shower and toilet. This is expected to happen daily in October this year, just as it often remains fully booked.
The details: Eurostar from £52 one way (eurostar.com). Nightjet from €59.90 (£52) with couchette, or €159.90 (£139) in a single sleeper cabin, including breakfast (oebb.at).
5. Fall asleep in Milan, wake up in Sicily
Western Europe’s longest sleeper ride, the InterCity Notte to Sicily, departs from Milan’s beautiful Central Station every evening at 8.10pm, with sleeper cars and couchettes to Palermo, Catania and Syracuse, arriving the following afternoon. The train is put on a ferry to cross the Strait of Messina to Sicily, a unique experience.
The details: From €39.90 (£35) in a four-berth couchette or €89.90 (£78) in a single bed (trenitalia.com).
6. Fall asleep in Brussels, wake up in Vienna
Leave London by Eurostar at 1:01 PM for Brussels, arriving at 4:06 PM. A Nightjet sleeping car departs Brussels at 7:07 PM on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and arrives in Vienna at 10:13 AM, with four- and six-berth couchettes and one-, two- and three-bed berths, some with shower and toilet.
The details: Eurostar from £52 one way (eurostar.com). Nightjet from €59.90 with couchette or €159.90 in a single sleeping cabin, including breakfast (oebb.at).
7. Fall asleep in Brussels, wake up in Prague
New train operator European Sleeper now offers a night train from Brussels to Prague, with an easy connection from London via the Eurostar. Leave London by Eurostar at 1:01 PM for Brussels, arriving at 4:06 PM. The European Sleeper leaves Brussels at 7:22 PM on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, arriving in Prague at 10:56 AM after a scenic drive along the Elbe River valley south of Dresden. The train has couchettes with four and six beds and sleepers with one, two and three beds. The bus returns from Prague to Brussels on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 6:04 PM.
The details: Eurostar from £52 one way (eurostar.com). European Sleeper from €79 (£68) with couchette or €159 (£137) in a single bed, including breakfast (europeansleeper.eu).
8. Fall asleep in Berlin, wake up in Stockholm
The SJ EuroNight train departs Berlin Gesundbrunnen daily at 6:37 PM and arrives at Stockholm Central the next morning at 9:57 AM. It has four- and six-person couchettes and one and double sofa beds, some with shower and toilet. In Stockholm, the amazing Vasa Museum (www.vasamuseet.se) is worth the trip in itself.
The details: From €44.90 (£39) in a six-berth couchette, €69.90 (£61) in a four-berth sofa bed (sj.se).