The European sleeper train is going through a Renaissance, with many once-defunct routes coming back into operation. Sleeper trains are a fantastic way to explore Europe, allowing travellers to cross borders with minimal hassle, and providing a safe, comfortable and often luxurious way to travel. It’s great news, then, that a new sleeper train could be on the cards for 2022.
According to Brussels Times, two Dutch train enthusiasts are working on a new railway adventure named the ‘European Sleeper’, which will come into operation in April 2022. The project is said to be the brainchild of Chris Engelsman – a man who previously introduced the former night train Jazz Night Express – and Elmer van Buuren, a member of the Dutch foundation Train2EU and former employee of Dutch railway company NS.
The first destination the train will operate in is set to be announced next month, with speculation the route will include Copenhagen, Prague, Warsaw or Milan.
“It remains to be seen whether European Sleeper’s plans will actually be realised, but it looks very promising to us,” Engelsman told the Brussels Times. “We have been working on night trains for years and have a lot of experience with how to run them.”
If successful, Engelsman and van Buuren will join Deutsche Bahn, SNCF, OEBB (Austrian Federal Railways) and SBB (Swiss Federal Railways) in their launch of new sleeper routes in Europe this year and next. Highlights include Vienna to Paris, Zurich to Amsterdam, and there are even plans for a Vienna-Barcelona route in 2023. Watch this space…