Bad news for travellers who were hoping to take the night train to Milan this summer: the new European Sleeper route pushed back the opening of its new route until September.
Initially planned for a first trip on 18 June, the new Brussels-Cologne-Zürich-Milan night train will now depart from 9 September. Operator European Sleeper cites track works in Germany and the certification process for Switzerland (a new country in the network) as reasons for the delay.
"Although the first departure comes a few months later than originally planned, the new connection marks an important milestone and creates an important north-south connection at the European level," the company said in a press release.
While the train will initially depart from Brussels, a direct connection to and from the Netherlands will be added. However, this will not be until 2027, as starting a separate train section to and from Amsterdam is less viable during the off-peak season, the company said.
This will be European Sleeper's third route, following the previously established connection between Brussels and Prague, and the new link between Paris and Berlin, launching later this month.
Route and planning
Departures from Brussels are scheduled for Monday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings, arriving in Zürich and Milan the following morning. The return service from Milan will operate on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday nights.
A high number of planned works on the tracks in Germany during the summer months would not allow the new service to operate with the required level of reliability, according to European Sleeper.
Additionally, the certification process for driving through Switzerland led the company to conclude that a September start would "offer a more stable introduction" of the route.
In Switzerland, the train will run via Zürich and the Gotthard Pass for the time being, as the originally planned route (via the Simplon Pass) proved unfeasible due to track works scheduled through 2027.
"Luckily, the revised route via the Gotthard Pass also brings new opportunities," the company said. "A stop in Göschenen provides convenient access to nearby ski resorts, while Lugano and Como offer easy connections to the well-known lakes and surrounding mountain landscapes."
Ticket sales for the new route start on 17 March 2026, offering the usual European Sleeper travel classes: Budget, Classic, Comfort Standard and Comfort Plus.
