The most interesting long-distance railway routes in Europe for 2024 have been named
Traveling in Europe is increasingly popular by train instead of airplane. Sleeper night trains are especially popular: you go to bed in one country in the evening and wake up in another in the morning.
Euronews Travel has shared information about interesting international rail routes between different European countries.
Austria
From Vienna to Brussels
Since 2016, the Austrian national railroad ÖBB has been revitalizing sleeper trains in Europe. At the end of 2021, the company launched a new route between Vienna and Paris via Salzburg and Munich. The journey takes 14 hours, and the train runs three times a week in both directions. Ticket prices range from 30 euros for a seat to 120 euros and more for a private compartment.
A route from Vienna to Brussels is also available. The new train departs every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, leaving Vienna at 19:38 and arriving at Brussels Midi station at 09:56.
From Vienna to Genoa and La Spezia in Italy
The new Nightjet schedule for 2023 extends the Vienna/Munich to Milan route to Genoa and La Spezia in Italy. From there, passengers can connect to trains to destinations such as Monaco, Nice, and Cinque Terre.
Belgium
From Brussels to Berlin via Amsterdam
The Belgian-Dutch company European Sleeper will launch a route from Brussels to Berlin via Amsterdam on May 25, 2024. With only one stopover, passengers will be able to travel to Paris, London, Prague, and Warsaw.
Starting March 25, 2024, the train route will be extended to Dresden and Prague. The train will connect Paris with Berlin and will run on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, departing from Berlin Hbf at 20:18 and arriving at Paris Est at 10:34 the next day. The service will become daily from October 2024.
Liege - Aachen and Maastricht
A new rail route between the three countries will connect Aachen in Germany, Liege in Belgium, and Maastricht in the Netherlands. The project is the result of cooperation between Arriva (part of Germany's Deutsche Bahn Group), SNCB (Belgian National Railways), and NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen). The line was launched in December 2023.
Czech Republic
Prague - Zurich
The Czech national railway operator České dráhy (ČD) has introduced a new sleeper service between Prague and Zurich with stops in Frankfurt and Basel.
The overnight journey will take just under 14 hours. Travelers will have a variety of fare options, from six-seater compartments to luxury sleeper compartments with separate toilets and showers. Ticket prices for a six-seater sleeper compartment start at 49.90 euros.
Germany
Berlin - Stockholm
The Swedish railway company Snälltåget has altered the train route from Berlin to Malmö via Hamburg and Denmark, extending it to Stockholm. The full journey takes just under 17 hours, and ticket prices start at 50 euros.
Stuttgart - Zagreb and Rijeka
In the new schedule for 2023, Nightjet has extended its connections from Munich to Venice, Ljubljana, and Zagreb, and will start operating from Stuttgart. Seasonally, the route will also run to the Croatian coastal city of Rijeka, with a total travel time of about 15 hours.
The night train to Venice runs via Munich, Salzburg, and Treviso, while flights to the capitals of Croatia and Slovenia are operated by Croatian Railways HŽ and Slovenian Railways SŽ under the management of EuroNight ÖBB.
Munich to Warsaw
In 2024, the ÖBB Nightjet train will connect Munich in Germany with Warsaw in Poland. The train route will pass through Rosenheim in Germany, Salzburg, Linz, and Vienna in Austria, and Krakow in Poland. Nightjet trains from Vienna to Berlin, meanwhile, will follow a new route via Brzezlav and Prague in the Czech Republic and Dresden in Germany.
