Dutch rail start-up European Sleeper is launching a new night train service from Brussels to the Alps, with a final stop in Venice. The first trains are expected in February 2025.
Brussels is currently connected to four major European cities – Berlin, Munich, Prague and Vienna – by direct night train. From next year, this will be expanded to include stops in the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and, as a first, Italy. European Sleeper, which already operates a line connecting the Belgian capital to Berlin and Prague, will now offer a service to Italy.
"We have seen significant interest in this new route from both our existing customer base and potential travellers," Marketing & Communications Manager at Eurosleeper, Mariella Salerno, told The Brussels Times. "The allure of connecting the North Sea to the Mediterranean, coupled with the convenience and sustainability of night travel, has generated a strong positive response."
The prospect of experiencing the scenic journey through Europe and arriving in the historic city of Venice has "also driven high demand".
Credit: European Sleeper
Stops and timings
European Sleeper is currently finalising the exact route, stops and timetable. But the main stops have been confirmed: after Brussels, the train will stop in Antwerp before entering the Netherlands, where it will stop in Rotterdam and Utrecht. It will then continue to Cologne and Munich in Germany, Innsbruck in Austria (famous for its winter sports), before heading to Bolzano in south Tirol, Verona and Venice in Italy.
The inaugural journey will leave Brussels on 5 February 2025. It will then likely run twice a week for the rest of the month and in March. According to the preliminary schedule, the journey will take around 21 hours, with the train leaving Brussels at 17:00 and arriving in Venice at 14:00 the next day. For the return journey, the train will set off from Venice at 15:00, arriving back in Brussels at 11:00 the next morning.
Booking opens in mid-September 2024, but prices have not yet been announced. As with its other services, passengers can choose several seating options, from seats and shared couchettes to private sleepers.
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"One of the challenges for the new European Sleeper connection is to ensure attractive travel times and a reliable timetable," Salerno said, stressing that this requires close collaboration with relevant railway authorities in each country. It is therefore working with these partners to finalise departure and arrival times.
The company is also working on a new daily connection between Amsterdam and Barcelona.
