Back on track: Europe’s night trains make bumpy comeback
- Austrian rail operator OeBB has Europe’s biggest fleet of night trains, serving 1.5 million passengers in carriages that include bed compartments
- Delays, lack of proper facilities and competition from low-cost airlines are among obstacles that have affected a sector lacking in investment ‘for decades’
Night trains have made a comeback in Europe thanks to their low-carbon footprint, but after years of neglect, the renaissance has had a bumpy ride.
Operators admit that the trains are outdated – with passengers facing the occasional delays, technical problems or malfunctioning toilets – while companies compete in an overloaded network.
Despite the challenges, national rail operators are giving night trains another chance while start-ups are jumping on the bandwagon as climate concerns are making travellers ditch kerosene-burning planes for cleaner modes of transport.
Sitting at the crossroads between western and eastern Europe, Austria has been at the heart of this revival with the backing of the government even as low-cost airlines threatened to relegate sleeper trains to the history books.
Austrian rail operator OeBB, a pioneer in the sector, has Europe’s biggest fleet of night trains, serving 1.5 million passengers in carriages that include bed compartments.
The state-owned company considered abandoning its overnight services at one point, but it went the opposite direction and invested in them instead.
“Our night trains are nearly fully booked,” OeBB spokesman Bernhard Rieder said as summer travel is in full swing in Europe.