While the Nightjet night train between Brussels and Vienna only runs three times a week now, it will make the journey every night from the winter of 2023, announced its operator the Austrian ÖBB train company.
After European Sleeper announced a night train between Brussels, Amsterdam and Berlin from May 2023, ÖBB now stated that its Nightjet will be reinforced from December 2023: travellers between Brussels and Vienna will be able to make the journey any night, instead of only three times per week.
The extra connections will be possible as ÖBB is buying new Nightjet carriages for its trains from Vienna to Italy. The older carriages on those lines will be used to run between Brussels and Vienna by the end of 2023.
"We are delighted at the prospect of a daily night train service for the first time," said Alexander Gomme, spokesperson for the Back on Track Belgium association in a press release. "Now, the (affordable) tickets are quickly sold out, and in the high season, many people cannot find a ticket – discouraging people from using this mode of transport and instead making flying attractive."
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A more regular offer makes the night train a fully-fledged public transport option: regular timetables at acceptable prices. "If policymakers see that these extra night trains are also widely used, they will be able to adjust their policies accordingly. This is essential for the existing and new players who are still developing their offer," Gomme said.
"It shows that Brussels is an important destination. So it fits perfectly into our project in which we see Brussels as a European hub for night trains."
