Night trains are experiencing a renaissance in popularity among European travellers, but the infrastructure and investment needed to sustain them remain insufficient. A 2025 survey commissioned by Hitachi Rail, polling 11,000 people, found that nearly half intend to shift from air to rail travel within five years. Yet globally, seven in ten respondents said they would use public transport more if connections improved.
To address this gap, the European network Back-on-Track.eu has released its 2026 interactive night train map, a comprehensive guide to all regular sleeper services across the continent. The map, designed in a transport-network style, is accompanied by an online database with detailed route information and booking tips.
New Connections and Lost Lines
The 2026 edition highlights five new services: European Sleeper's Paris–Berlin line, new PKP routes linking Poland to Praha and München, and a planned Bruxelles–Milano service. However, ten routes have been discontinued, including several popular ÖBB Nightjet connections and the 1,456-kilometre Stockholm–Narvik link, one of Europe's longest night train journeys. Some services have been shortened, such as the ÖBB route that originally ran from Bratislava to Split but now starts in Vienna.
“The biggest obstacle for night trains in Europe and the main reason why the train to Narvik was stopped is the lack of investment in rolling stock,” said Juri Maier, chair of Back-on-Track and the map's designer. “The demand is there, and competition with planes is not as fierce anymore. Concepts exist to carry up to 750 sleeping passengers per train, which would make operations profitable on many routes. But to unlock this potential, we need significant investments – now.”
Ongoing track works across the continent further disrupt night train schedules, but new infrastructure expected by 2032 could enable far better connections. Giovanni Antoniazzi, vice chair of Back-on-Track and a spatial data scientist based in Amsterdam, coordinated the Open Night Train Database. He noted, “The new Bruxelles–Milano line would truly fill a gap on our map, but the route through Switzerland will be an operational challenge. We're excited to see if it works out.”
The map underscores a broader tension: enthusiasm for night trains outstrips current offerings. As short-haul flights increase frequency despite the climate emergency, sleeper services are being rolled back in parts of Europe. Back-on-Track emphasized that the release comes at a critical time to highlight night trains as a viable, sustainable solution for connecting Europe amid a looming fuel crisis and growing demand for accessible travel options.
For travellers, the map and database provide an up-to-date resource to plan journeys across the continent, from the Balkans to Scandinavia. As Europe grapples with balancing environmental goals and transportation needs, night trains remain a promising but underfunded piece of the puzzle.
