After years of declining numbers, new night train connections are constantly being added across Europe. Germany plays a central role in the network due to its location, but there are still a few hurdles to overcome in this country.
Numbers, mattresses, carpets, lights, sockets: Chris Engelsman inspects everything in the wagons, which are still on a marshalling ground in Crailsheim in southern Germany. It is the last control of the trains rented by the company that will be used as night trains between Brussels, Amsterdam and Berlin as of May.
Together with Elmer van Buuren, in 2021 he founded the European Sleeper, a Dutch-Belgian train enthusiasts cooperative that collectively invested 2.5 million euros to establish new connections. Engelsman hopes to prove that the train has a right to exist without subsidies.
Competition with low-cost airlines taking advantage of tax breaks doesn’t worry him too much. “We don’t have to get everyone off the plane. A very small proportion of air traffic is sufficient for us.” He also thinks that there are many people who find traveling by train more enjoyable than by plane.
growing niche
It’s not just relying on the growing demand for night trains. The Czech railway company ČD has operated night services between Prague and Zurich since the end of last year, while the Swedish SJ operates between Hamburg, Copenhagen and Stockholm. And probably the most active is the Austrian ÖBB, which has added several new connections to Nightjet, including Italy, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia.
This is in stark contrast to Deutsche Bahn, which in 2016 decided to phase out night trains entirely as it no longer saw any benefits. It’s a low point for European night train traffic, says Philipp Kosok, Agora’s partner. This German think tank advises the federal government on the reduction of CO2 emissions from transport, which is necessary to meet regulatory targets.
Since then, the Austrian railway company has again been particularly responsible for the growth in Europe. Kosok: “It offers more and more connections and also produces night trains. Since then, more travelers have been seen each year. It’s still a niche, but a growing niche.”
With Europe’s largest rail network, Germany is still a defining location for many routes across Europe. However, night train providers have no easy task here.
For example, the cost of using trains is relatively high: As a train company, you spend about a quarter of your ticket revenue on it alone. Kosok also says the route is old and overloaded.
“Large train stations in Hanover, Cologne and Hamburg, for example, are structurally overloaded. And routes there usually consist of only two roads. This is not enough for large traffic volume. Many freight trains are on the move, especially at night.” There is usually a third or fourth line on the way.” This is why trains from the Netherlands, Austria or Switzerland are often delayed when they arrive in Germany.
cars are scarce
And then there is the notorious German bureaucracy. The British can talk about it. “According to the rules, we need to hire an extra person to handle it.”
This quickly leads to frustration when planning when to let trains run on the route. “In the Netherlands we can see: we have a freight train ahead of us. Then we can call and discuss: If you’re on your way in five minutes, we’ll take care of it. In Germany people are very sensitive about privacy and it is not allowed there. So we don’t know who we’re fighting with.”
But he says the biggest challenge is finding a car. “Now everybody wants the night train again, the wagons are suddenly very scarce.” On one occasion the departure of the first night trains had to be delayed for this reason.
New routes
It seems that a solution has been found especially in Germany. The wagons he examined in Crailsheim are regular, so this time the night train is ready for departure in May.
There are other plans as well: the train to Berlin should eventually continue to Prague. Engelsman and Van Buuren also want to add new routes. A night train project between Amsterdam and Barcelona has now been selected as one of ten pilot projects supported by the European Commission. This brings no money, but provides the necessary support in Brussels.
Source: NOS
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
