Two night train routes connecting Paris to Berlin and the French capital to Vienna will be axed. Both Nightjet sleeper routes will no longer be available from mid-December, ÖBB, the Austrian rail operator, revealed.
ÖBB said in a statement: “The French railway company SNCF Voyageurs has been informed by the Ministry of Transport in Paris that the government service contracts for the Vienna-Paris and Berlin-Paris night trains will be discontinued for 2026.
“Night trains can currently only be operated with the participation of international partners,” it added.
“ÖBB regrets that, following the withdrawal of the French partners, both night train connections will no longer be offered as of December 14, 2025.”
The Paris and Berlin night sleeper relaunched on December 11, 2023, almost a decade after it was previously scrapped due to its incurring large debts and losing out to cheaper bus routes, reports The Independent.
The Paris to Vienna route started taking passengers in December 2021.
The Nightjet sleeper train service connecting Berlin with Brussels was stopped this year in March, despite only operating for just over a year, reports The Sun.
ÖBB is Europe’s largest sleeper train provider and has spearheaded the push to reestablish the means of transport as a low-emission alternative to flying, as per The Guardian.
However, its Nightjet brand retains numerous services, connecting 25 major cities across 8 European nations.
You can book either the cheaper seat car option or spent the night in a sleeper car, complete with beds, showers and toilets, as well as other creature comforts.
Alternatively, passengers can book a couchette to sleep in as a more economical option.
