The renaissance of the night train in Europe: how night trains could become an attractive alternative for driving and flying
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2025-07-10
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en
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Over the past decade, night trains have undergone a remarkable transformation. Once considered outdated and unprofitable, they are now re-emerging as a sustainable alternative to flying. Demand is rising, new connections are appearing, yet operating conditions remain challenging due to high costs and the need for specialized rolling stock.
Findings show that many services were cut in the past because of low profitability. Since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, a slow ‘renaissance’ of the night train has started, with many newly introduced in the years since. Although new services are being introduced, the operating conditions remain difficult for operators and gaps in the European network are still present. Not only financially, but significant institutional and technical remain.
Two solutions are essential for a healthy future development of night trains: reducing high track access charges, which make operations costly, and investing in new rolling stock to meet increasing passenger demand. The latter will be needed to accommodate further growth and the replacement of old rolling stock.
Limitations of this research include a focus on Western Europe and a non-representative respondent group. Future studies should include larger, more diverse traveller populations to better assess potential routes.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen