They may not have the luxurious cabins and glamorous restaurant service of the famous Orient Express, but new European sleeper train routes are offering tourists an alternative to short-haul flights and busy airports.
Services setting up in 2026 include a new sleeper train between Paris and Berlin. One of the most significant developments is expected to be a planned night train from Brussels to Milan, which will connect northern Europe with services to some of southern Europe’s popular holiday destinations. This route is scheduled to launch in autumn 2026, with stops including the pretty Swiss city of Berne and the town of Stresa, Italy, on the shores of Lake Maggiore. More services will now link Dresden and Prague.
These routes reflect an effort by rail operators and policymakers to rebuild Europe’s cross-border sleeper network after decades of decline.
Although long-distance rail remains relatively niche in Europe, accounting for only a small proportion of journeys over 1,000 kilometres, additional European routes could mean more people consider trains as a long-distance travel option.
Read the full article on The Conversation
Suggested citation: Mehri Khosravi. “Overnight trains: why sleeping all the way to your holiday destination is a growing (and green) option.” The Conversation, 16 June 2026. https://doi.org/10.64628/AB.rgrvnmjma
