Before you go to sleep, do you ever wish you'll wake up somewhere completely different?
While night trains are definitely not new, the renewed public interest in crossing Europe in your sleep is making policymakers sit up and take note as companies are expanding their services.
This month, European Sleeper started selling tickets for its new route (Paris-Berlin) from March 2026. Almost at the same time, it announced plans to start taking travellers from Brussels or Amsterdam (via Cologne and Bern) all the way to Milan from next summer.
The company has been operating since 2023 and is a sustainable alternative to flying. Unlike the Austrian government-owned ÖBB Nightjet, it is a private initiative that aims to put night trains back on the map. With its third successful share-funding round now complete, business seems to be booming as more and more people discover the advantages of sleeping your way to your destination.
"The first share funding round went very well, and so did the second one. We are really getting a lot of support from the night train community," Chris Engelsman, co-founder of the company, tells The Brussels Times.
"We announced our new Paris-Berlin route earlier this month, and we are getting extra support from people in France and Germany, who clearly enjoy being a part of the community," he says. "So it is all going very well for us, and even now with the third round, this remains a great way to raise funds."
Costly carriages
Still, generally speaking, share-funding is more suited to a start-up company – which is why, with an eye on the future, European Sleeper is also looking towards professional investors.
"Some very promising conversations are happening," is all Engelsman wants to say about that, for now.
These extra funds would not only be used for new routes, but would also go towards new rolling stock. And as I was fresh off a night train journey from Brussels to Prague (and back) at the time of our conversation, I could only confirm that travellers would welcome more modern or renewed carriages.
While charming, the company's carriages noticeably date back to the 1970s and even 1960s – in terms of appearance, finish and comfort. The carriage that my travelling company and I are in is scrupulously clean, but decades of use result in the expected wear and tear.
"We have a whole plan in place, but we need to get the funds to carry it out," Engelsman explains. "Rolling stock is incredibly costly."
Credit: Dries Mockers/The Brussels Times
Still, the soft seats (which turn into beds) are relatively comfortable. Later, when it is time for bed, the middle and top bunks will have to be unfolded so everyone can sleep.
As a travelling company of four, we had a five-person cabin to ourselves, meaning we had some extra space to store our bags and suitcases. Some of us would not have minded sharing a cabin with strangers, but others were happy to only have to share the relatively limited space with people they knew well.
Currently, travellers can choose to book a bed in a carriage for five or three people (there is also a female-only option), but the company is also looking into possibilities that offer more privacy, such as two-person carriages for couples, for example.
All about the journey?
Whether they realise it or not, most people have a certain type of person in mind when they think of those embarking on a cross-Europe railway trip – bona fide backpack-carrying adventurers – but Engelsman stresses that nothing is less true.
While making my way between Brussels and Prague, I find that he's right. I speak to a diverse range of people: the expected solo travellers looking to make some friends before even arriving at their destination, a family with two primary school-aged children, a couple, and even a group of four women in their 60s, cracking open the bubbles and excitedly chatting away.
"We have all retired this year, so we decided to go a little crazy and go to Prague for a long weekend," one of them, Estelle (67), tells me. "When we saw this night train option, we were so overcome with nostalgia that we immediately decided to book."
When I ask her if the experience lives up to her memories so far, she enthusiastically tells me all about how much easier taking the train is compared to getting on a plane.
And she's right; all the clichés are true. You travel at night, so you don't lose a day of your trip just getting there. You do not need to be there at least two hours in advance, there's no airport hassle, no rules about liquids, and no waiting for your bags upon arrival.
"Even better, you arrive in the middle of the city, so the holiday starts as soon as you get out of the train station," she says. "Although for us, the holiday started as soon as we boarded the train back in Brussels. The journey is part of the adventure."
Still, she – and most importantly, her back – is not in her early 20s anymore, she says. "I hope it doesn't get all messed up tonight."
Credit: Dries Mockers/The Brussels Times
Around 9pm, I make my way back to my own carriage, so I can get ready for the evening. Once everyone is changed, we take out the foldable table underneath our seats – perfect for eating or playing a board or card game until well into the evening.
Passengers can bring their own food or call on the train attendants to order soft and hot drinks, snacks (from nacho chips & salsa to a Lotus waffle or pot noodles), and a selection of alcoholic drinks until about 11pm.
Earplugs and sleeping masks are also available for a good night's sleep. Those who forgot their own can even buy a deck of playing cards.
When around 10:30pm the train attendant announces through the speakers that it is time to remain quiet, we take out the little ladder (also stored underneath our seats) so those in the top bunks can climb up and down easily.
Hard beds, white noise and a sense of adventure
Every traveller gets a pillow, a cotton sleeping bag-like bedsheet and a fleece blanket. If you're not ready to go to sleep when the rest of your carriage turns in, every bed has its own little night light – providing just enough light without disturbing the others.
If you don't mind a hard mattress, the beds are very stable and quite comfortable (although I spare a thought for Estelle's back). However, if you're taller than 1m80 (six feet) or bigger than average, you might find them a bit too cramped.
Obviously, the train keeps moving at night, and what some experience as being gently rocked to sleep to the sound of white noise in the background, others describe as being jerked back and forth in their cots as the train thunders past brightly-lit stations.
"I like to think that the people who book a trip on a night train know what they can expect and are up for a bit of adventure," Engelsman laughs.
"But we are indeed looking into options with higher comfort. We have lots of ideas, but we need to see what is feasible. Either way, it will take a few more years."
Credit: Dries Mockers/The Brussels Times
In the morning, breakfast is brought to the cabins of those who ordered it about an hour before they are due to arrive at their destinations.
In addition to a fresh bread roll, travellers get a cute little box filled with crackers and small packets of Nutella, jam and cheese spread. Yoghurt and granola, and a little carton of orange juice are included as well, as is one hot drink – tea or coffee – per person.
Luckily, we all slept relatively well – apart from rousing once or twice due to the sudden jolt of a track change or a loud laugh in the cabin next door – because the watery instant coffee is not up to the task of waking us up.
However, the breakfast is simple but nice, and nothing beats waking up to the beautiful view of the rising sun over the beautiful landscapes of the Elbe valley.
When I go to the little washing room at the end of our carriage, we find out that one of the toilets has stopped working overnight – meaning there's a small queue of people all having to go before the train reaches its destination. Once back, we all change back into our day clothes, fold up our beds and get ready for a day of city-tripping in Prague.
As we disembark, Estelle and her group of retired friends are getting ready to go out into the city. When I ask her how her night was, she laughs.
"My back feels a little stiff, but it was great fun," she says. "Totally worth it, crick in my neck and all."
