When the new European Sleeper service from Paris to Berlin launches in 2026, travelers will find a service that is both a successor and a distinct evolution from the Nightjet it replaces. The Dutch cooperative is stepping in after the Austrian operator ÖBB axes its service in December. A side-by-side comparison reveals key differences in capacity, routing, and amenities that will define the new journey.
The most significant upgrade will be in passenger capacity. The Nightjet’s 12-coach train from Paris had to split, with some carriages going to Vienna and the remainder to Berlin. European Sleeper, by contrast, will run 12 to 14 coaches dedicated entirely to the Berlin route. This consolidated service, as highlighted by co-founder Chris Engelsman, will allow for 600-700 passengers, a substantial increase aimed at capturing the full market and “extending the ridership.”
The second major difference is the route. The Nightjet currently winds through eastern France and central Germany, with stops in Strasbourg, Frankfurt, and Erfurt. The new European Sleeper train will forge a new path via Brussels. This strategic rerouting, pending final approvals, creates a new Western European sleeper corridor, linking the de facto capital of the EU with Paris and Berlin in a way the previous service did not.
When it comes to comfort, the change is more nuanced. The new service will use German-rented coaches from the 1990s, which Engelsman describes as “quite similar” in comfort to the current Nightjet. This is a far cry from new, bespoke rolling stock, but it is also an assurance that the standard will not drop. It also means the company will not be using its much older 1950s-era carriages from its Prague service on this flagship route.
The most notable downgrade, however, will be the lack of a dining car. The high romance of sipping a coffee or a wine in a dedicated restaurant car will be absent, at least at the start. Engelsman was clear that the “challenge” of profitability, citing high rental and staff costs, makes a dining car unviable for the launch. This reflects the different economic models: the state-subsidized Nightjet versus the co-operative, commercially-minded European Sleeper.