Data · updated 2 September 2026

Europe's Night-Train Revival Is Going Into Reverse

Everyone has written the night-train comeback. The 2026 data points the other way: more cross-border sleepers were withdrawn than launched, as government subsidies dry up — even though the overnight train beats the plane on both cost and carbon. Below is the full, sourced picture. Free to cite with credit to SleeperTrain.co.uk.

"For three years the story has been the night-train revival. The 2026 numbers tell a quieter one — more cross-border sleepers were cut than launched, and it's government funding, not passenger demand, deciding which survive. The sleeper wins on cost and carbon; it's losing on politics."
— Cara Smith, SleeperTrain.co.uk

Europe lost 3 cross-border night-train routes on net in 2025–26: five withdrawn against two launched.

France scrapped two Paris sleepers in a single day — ÖBB Nightjet's Vienna–Paris and Berlin–Paris both ran for the last time on 14 December 2025 after the French government ended their funding.

Britain's London–Inverness sleeper emits about 80% less CO2 than the flight (33 kg vs 164 kg).

Every European night train in our sample beats the plane on carbon by at least 72%.

A flight advertised from £24.89 (Brussels–Vienna) really costs £162.84 once you add the hotel night the sleeper saves and airport transfers — the sleeper seat is £25.66.

Two British sleeper destinations you can't fly to: Fort William and Penzance have no commercial airport.

Overnight train vs flight: carbon per passenger across seven routes — the train emits 72–80% less CO2 than flying.

The real cost of a cheap flight: advertised fare vs true cost once a hotel night and airport transfers are added.

Europe's night trains in 2026 — the changes

Net: −3 routes (2 launched, 5 withdrawn).

Launched in 2026

Operator	Route	Date	Note	Source
European Sleeper	Paris – Brussels – Berlin	26 Mar 2026	Revives the corridor after ÖBB/SNCF Nightjet exit	International Railway Journal
European Sleeper	Brussels – Switzerland – Milan	9 Sep 2026	Via Cologne, Bern and Stresa; 3× a week	Seat61

Withdrawn / discontinued 2025–26

Operator	Route	Date	Reason	Source
ÖBB Nightjet	Vienna – Paris	14 Dec 2025	French government ended public-service funding	Railway PRO
ÖBB Nightjet	Berlin – Paris	14 Dec 2025	Same French funding withdrawal (corridor later revived by European Sleeper)	Railway PRO
ÖBB Nightjet	Berlin – Brussels	28 Mar 2026	Construction disruption and lower demand	Euronews
ÖBB Nightjet	Vienna/Munich – La Spezia	Dec 2025	Cut from the 2026 timetable amid construction work	Night Ride
SJ (Sweden)	Stockholm – Berlin	ends 31 Aug 2026	Swedish government withdrawing the subsidy	Trenvista

Sleeper vs flight — cost and carbon

Carbon on official UK Government (DESNZ 2025) factors; the "true cost of flying" adds the hotel night the overnight train saves plus airport transfers. Fares are "from" prices and will move — the carbon figures are the stable core.

Journey	Operator	Train CO₂	Plane CO₂	Saving	Flight from	True cost of flying
London – Inverness	Caledonian Sleeper	33.2 kg	163.5 kg	80%	£38	£175.95
London – Aberdeen	Caledonian Sleeper	29.9 kg	148.3 kg	80%	£47	£184.95
London – Fort William	Caledonian Sleeper	32.3 kg	—	no airport to fly to	—	—
London – Penzance	GWR Night Riviera	18.7 kg	—	no airport to fly to	—	—
Brussels – Vienna	ÖBB Nightjet	32.5 kg	118.7 kg	73%	£24.89	£162.84
Paris – Vienna	ÖBB Nightjet	36.7 kg	132.9 kg	72%	£23.17	£161.12
Vienna – Venice	ÖBB Nightjet	15.4 kg	55.4 kg	72%	£16.31	£154.26
Brussels – Berlin	European Sleeper	23.1 kg	82.4 kg	72%	£36.91	£174.86
Amsterdam – Vienna	ÖBB Nightjet	33.2 kg	123.1 kg	73%	£30.04	£167.99

Method & sources

Carbon = route distance × the relevant DESNZ 2025 emission factor (train 0.03546; domestic flight 0.22928; European short-haul 0.128 kg CO2e/passenger-km, flights including radiative forcing). The conservative national-rail factor is applied to all trains; DESNZ's dedicated international-rail factor (0.00446) would lift European savings to ~97%. "True cost of flying" = flight lead-in fare + £85.95 (one hotel night the overnight train saves — Premier Inn UK average room rate, Whitbread FY25) + £52 (airport transfers, 2 × Heathrow Express single £26). Fares are dynamic "from" prices captured 2 Sep 2026 and will change; the carbon savings and route-tracker facts are the stable core.

For journalists

All figures are free to use and quote with credit to SleeperTrain.co.uk (a link is appreciated). For the full data, a chart, or a specific route breakdown, email cara@sleepertrain.co.uk.