The vital overnight train service connecting Paris and Berlin will be restored in 2026, just over a year after its planned cancellation. The Dutch cooperative European Sleeper has announced it will launch a new service on March 26, 2026, filling the void left by ÖBB’s Nightjet, which is being axed in December. This news has been welcomed by French campaigners, who had gathered 91,000 signatures to protest the cancellation.
The new service is not just a simple replacement; it’s a significant upgrade in capacity. European Sleeper plans to run 12 to 14 coaches directly to Berlin, accommodating 600 to 700 passengers. This is a major increase from the outgoing Nightjet, which had to split its 12-coach train between Berlin and Vienna. The company’s co-founder, Chris Engelsman, is confident this will help “extend the ridership.”
The new train will also forge a new path. European Sleeper intends to route the service via Brussels, a change from the Nightjet’s journey through eastern France and central Germany. This new route, which is currently being finalized with national rail authorities, will create a new major sleeper corridor in Western Europe.
The service is scheduled to run three times per week. Departures from Paris Gare du Nord are planned for Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday evenings. The return journeys from Berlin (Hauptbahnhof and Ostbahnhof) will depart on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings, offering a convenient and sustainable travel option.
While the route is secure, the onboard experience will be pragmatic. The company will use 1990s-era German-rented coaches, described as similar in comfort to the Nightjet. However, passengers will have to pack their own provisions, as the company has confirmed there will be no dining car at launch. Engelsman cited the “challenge” of profitability due to high rental and staff costs.