Night trains are making a comeback in Europe. Plans for a Trans Europ Express 2.0, further expansions of RegioJet and Snälltåget and the founding of several new night train start-ups show there is no doubt about a revival of sleeper trains. However, there are still many obstacles in the way of a real open European market where night trains are a good alternative to flights for destinations all over Europe.
This magazine dives into what led to the revival of night trains and the challenges of an open-access operator as voiced by the head of Snälltåget. Read an interview with co-founder of start-up European Sleeper, about the plans of two Belgian entrepreneurs for a new night train and European Passengers’ Federation board member Arriën Kruyt’s case for lower track access charges for night trains.