Train enthusiasts are facing disappointment as a crucial sleeper train service linking Paris to Vienna and Berlin is set to halt operations in December. The Nightjet route between Paris and Berlin, reintroduced in 2023 after a nine-year hiatus, is now facing closure once again.
SNCF Voyageurs, the French train operator, has announced the discontinuation of the service starting December 14, 2025, following the French Ministry of Transport’s decision to withdraw state subsidies supporting the route. The Nightjet service is a complex collaboration involving multiple railway firms from different countries, including SNCF, Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), Deutsche Bahn (DB), and the National Railway Company of Belgium (SNCB).
Operating night trains presents significant challenges due to limited daily sales capacity compared to day trains or flights. SNCF highlighted the higher operational costs associated with night trains, including additional staff requirements, cross-border logistics, infrastructure access fees in various countries, and increased energy costs. With an average occupancy rate of only 70% in 2024, the Paris to Vienna and Berlin service depended on state subsidies to break even.
Despite the Paris route closure, the Vienna–Brussels Nightjet service will continue operating three times a week in 2026. ÖBB, the leading provider of night trains in Europe, is expanding its overnight services by introducing 24 new-generation Nightjet trains to enhance capacity and amenities on existing routes.
ÖBB expressed regret over the discontinuation of the Paris routes due to the withdrawal of French partners, emphasizing the importance of international collaborations in sustaining night train services. The Vienna to Brussels Nightjet will remain operational in 2026, maintaining its schedule.
Criticism of the decision came from a group called Oui au train de nuit? (Yes to the night train?), urging the French government to intervene and save the service. The group emphasized the significance of preserving international night trains and called for collective efforts to revive this mode of travel.
Two years ago, ÖBB introduced a new ‘pod’-style cabin design on its Nightjet trains, offering a space-efficient layout akin to modern Japanese hotels. The cabins feature amenities such as mirrors, coat hooks, reading lamps, and storage lockers for convenience and comfort during the high-speed journeys across Europe.
