New Paris-Berlin Night Train: Higher Capacity, No Dining Car

The new Paris-Berlin night train, launching in March 2026, will offer passengers higher capacity but fewer amenities. European Sleeper, the Dutch cooperative taking over the route, has confirmed it will run 12-14 dedicated coaches for 600-700 passengers, a significant upgrade from the outgoing Nightjet. However, co-founder Chris Engelsman also announced that the service will launch without a dining car, citing the high costs that make it “difficult to break even.”
This new service is replacing the ÖBB Nightjet, which is being cancelled next month after the French government ended its subsidies. That move sparked protests from rail advocates, who are now celebrating this new service as a “partial victory.” The new train will run three times a week, departing Paris Gare du Nord on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday evenings, and returning from Berlin on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
A key strategic change will be the train’s new route via Brussels. This path, which is currently being finalized with the rail authorities in France, Belgium, and Germany, differs from the Nightjet’s route through Strasbourg and Frankfurt. This new routing will create a major overnight connection for the Belgian capital.
The rolling stock will consist of German-rented coaches from the 1990s. This is an upgrade from the 1950s-era carriages the company uses on its Prague service and is said to be comparable in comfort to the Nightjet. The new service, therefore, represents a pragmatic compromise: the route is saved and capacity is increased, but the romantic notion of a full-service dining car has been sacrificed for profitability.
European Sleeper has been a key player in the sleeper market revival, but its “no-frills” approach has earned mixed reviews. While many enjoy the nostalgia, the company has faced issues with technical glitches and delays. The use of 1990s coaches for this flagship route, rather than their older 1950s stock, signals a step up.