A new sleeper service between Berlin and Paris will start from the German capital on Monday afternoon after a decade-long hiatus, as overnight trains gain popularity as an alternative to short-haul flights.
The connection will be operated by the French and German national train companies SNCF and Deutsche Bahn, while the rolling stock will be provided by the Austrian train company OeBB, whose ‘Nightjet’ trains already cross central Europe.
The maiden voyage will depart from Berlin Central Station with ministers from Paris and Berlin as well as the heads of train companies attending to see it off.
The overnight connection returns nine years after the previous service was discontinued.
Initially operating only three times a week, the frequency will increase to one train a day from October 2024.
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Night trains lost out to competition from budget airlines and high-speed trains at the turn of the century, with many routes closing.
However, the sector has seen a renaissance as passengers and policy makers look for a cleaner alternative to air travel.
In 2020, French President Emmanuel Macron set a goal of opening 10 new sleep services by 2030, with results already visible.
In addition to the Berlin connection, several new connections between Paris and regional destinations in mainland France have already started operating.
About 100 million euros ($108 million) has been invested by the French government to revitalize the network and get new carriages ready for service.
For customers, the climate benefits and charm of train travel have proven to be satisfactory. In 2023, around 215,000 passengers took the night train to their destination, a 15 percent increase on the previous year.
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Despite generating excitement beyond the ranks of rail enthusiasts, night trains remain an unremarkably profitable business for operators.
In France, many lines continue with subsidies, with at least 10 million euros a year going to the Berlin link.
Without public money, train companies would find it difficult to offer competitive prices for a berth in the carriage.
However, the challenges have not stopped private companies from entering the market, such as Dutch company European Sleer, which launched a service from Berlin to Brussels earlier this year.
Source: AFP