Falling asleep in Paris at night and waking up the next day at the other end of Europe is possible! Perfect for saving time and making the trip go much faster, the night train allows you to optimize your trip, save a night in a hotel and travel in an ecological way. It makes you interested? Learn all you need to know about the « train-bragging » in France and Europe!
Train travel in Europe
I first heard of the InterRail pass a few years ago. It is a rail ticket that entitles you to unlimited travel in Europe between 30 countries for a set period of time. With this ticket, you may go wherever you choose, as long as you stay within the European space. It is a one-of-a-kind experience for those who enjoy traveling and going on adventures!
Years passed, and I never got the opportunity to go on a trip with InterRail. The main disadvantage is that the ticket is more expensive than going by bus or airline. On the one hand, while the bus is slower and less comfortable, it is a less expensive mode of transportation. But, Europe boasts a whole network of low-cost airlines (Ryan Air, EasyJet, Vueling, and so on). Flying can be more cost-effective than taking the train, depending on the places and dates. The price discrepancy is due to the higher cost of infrastructure on the rail side and the opening up of the air sector to competition. As a result, I had a tendency to choose inexpensive flights over train rides.
But in 2021, when I moved to Paris, France, I met Erica, a traveling friend who boasted about catching the train. She explained to me that she had a plan to travel to Turkey from Paris in 15 days… by train! I was suspicious at first. But she’s a slow travel lover, she likes traveling slowly to lessen one’s carbon impact. It’s clear to her that taking the train is one of the finest options.
Back in time, entire generations of travelers have set out to explore Europe — and even beyond – with a train ticket, a bicycle, or even hitchhiking. As said, short and medium-haul flights have lately grown in popularity, thanks to low-cost airlines. They provide affordable and timely access to an increasing number of destinations.
Will «flight-shaming» change our travel habits?
This revolution is not without any consequences. With this new way of traveling, the experience of taking your time to admire the landscape has disappeared. Cities are also becoming victims of their own success, attracting many travelers for short weekends.
As travelers, these questions lead us to a great opportunity: rediscovering our time and putting geography at the center of our trip plans. You’ll look for a trip with so many promises of discoveries and interactions with local people. Imagine waking up in the morning on a train somewhere in Europe. It’s certainly one of the biggest delights for a traveler. Seeing Rome, Berlin, or Budapest through the window, and in a question of minutes, finding yourself in one of the world’s most renowned cities. What a plan! And forget the security procedures and stress of flying. Instead of that, indulge in the benefits of a more ecological mode of transportation. Traveling at night saves one night in a hotel and a day of vacation by traveling during sleep time.
With these benefits in mind, the EU aims to establish cross-border railway lines. It announced its «strategy for sustainable and intelligent mobility» in 2020. This significantly increases high-speed rail traffic by 2030.
Discover several European cities by train via Stuttgart
Stuttgart served different European cities such as Venice, Vienna, Budapest, Ljubljana, and Zagreb, thanks to a daily night train. Even better, during certain times of the year, the southwest German city offers direct trains that run all the way down to the Croatian beach city of Rijeka. The full Stuttgart-Rijeka trek will take around 15 hours.
Knowing that Stuttgart is quite accessible from cities like Paris, Brussels, or London, there is no excuse not to take the train. Embark on a sumptuous stroll around the Adriatic this summer!
Travel from Oslo to Stockholm in a snap
There was already a railway link between Oslo and Stockholm. Nonetheless, rapid trains resumed regular operation in recent weeks. Those wishing for a more environmentally method to travel between the capitals of Norway and Sweden will be able to use up to 3 fast trains every day. Another important improvement is that travel time is now reduced. The quickest trains are connecting the cities in around five hours, for a little more than 30€!
Set up a trip to Cinque Terre from Munich by night train
Since 2016, Austrian national rail company ÖBB is leading Europe’s night train renaissance with Nightjet.
Nightjet plans to introduce trains as comfortable as first-class flights the next summer. Wireless charging outlets, free wifi, bicycle and winter sports equipment storage, as well as private compartments with their own showers and toilets will be available. Nightjet’s new 2023 schedule expanded its Munich-Milan route to include Genoa and La Spezia in Italy. You may then catch trains to Monaco, Nice, and Cinque Terre.
From the vineyards of Bordeaux to the mountains of the Black Forest, in Germany
This one is for wine and train lovers. In December 2022, French rail operator SNCF revealed a new weekly service. It provides a direct train between two of Europe’s top winemaking regions: Freiburg, Germany, and Bordeaux, France, in less than 8 hours. The new direct Freiburg-Bordeaux service offers one-way tickets beginning at 59€.
Of course, these places are about more than wine. The Black Forest is one of Germany’s most gorgeous natural settings, known for its hiking routes and medieval cities. While Bordeaux is a stunning port city with nationally-renowned art institutions.
Discover Poland from Lithuania by train
Last year, Europe warned that Lithuania was neglecting the connection with its neighboring countries. Before, getting a train between the largest cities in Poland and Lithuania was a bit tricky. As a result, the Polish and Lithuanian governments collaborated to build a new train line connecting Kraków and Warsaw with the Lithuanian cities of Kaunas and Vilnius.
Tickets for the whole 12-and-a-half-hour Krakow-Vilnius ride start at around 30€. In other words, traveling by rail throughout Northern Europe is now simpler than ever!
Which night trains are in service in France?
Even though it became more democratic, the night train lost its customers year after year. Why? Because of the growing quantity of road infrastructures and the commodification of car use.
But after the demolition of the rail train, the use of new train lines is restarting in France. As a result of increased awareness of the importance of climate change, new lines will soon be reopened. Six «Intercités» night connections will operate departing from Paris’ Gare d’Austerlitz:
- Paris – Briançon. By taking the train at 8:52 p.m. at Austerlitz station, you will arrive in the city of the Hautes-Alpes the next day at 8:19 a.m.
- Paris – Nice (via Marseille, Toulon, Cannes, Antibes…). A new INTERCITÉS night train connects the French main city to the Baie des Anges, from €191.
- Paris – Lourdes (via Tarbes). It goes then until Hendaye in summer.
- Paris – Portbou (via Toulouse, Perpignan, Argelès-sur-Mer).
- Paris – Albi (via Rodez).
Then, from France, there is now one rail line that connects us to our European neighbors. A direct Paris-Vienna journey (via Strasbourg, Munich, Salzburg, and so on) is accessible with 3 round trips each week.
Which train lines will be phased out in Europe in 2023?
But if you had the plan to travel by rail between Dresden and Vienna, Marseille and Madrid, or even Lyon and Barcelona, these journeys have been discontinued since the end of 2022. The Hendaye-Lisbon route is permanently stopped since March 2020. The Paris-Venice route is also closed since June 2021.
Some advice to travel by train
Traveling by night train throughout the European Union necessitates meticulous planning. I recommend you first check the restrictions of the train companies, as well as that you are allowed to travel to the countries. If you purchase your tickets on a foreign network, find out about the ticket’s usage requirements before departure: check-in at the station, stamping, and presentation of the payment card at the time of control…
If you want to go outside of France, bring your passport or a valid identity card. There is no systematic inspection on departure, depending on the train, although customs agents or police officers can conduct random checks throughout the route (it happened to me between Italy and France !).
All lines had at least two or three options at various pricing ranges, from reclining seats to beds and private cabins. Even more luxurious, the « Midnight Trains » night trains will be true hotels on rails by 2024.
If you travel by train in the EU, you have rights (information, assistance, reimbursement, compensation) in the case of a train delay or cancellation. Regulation 1371/2007 applies to all national and cross-border train journeys which experience a delay of at least 1 hour on arrival.
Take a train to experience Europe’s attractions with the «slow travel» mindset. What an exhilarating sensation to travel through varied territories and landscapes, to cross countless small stations that follow one another, and to observe the ballet of travelers going up and down. Furthermore, by choosing a low-impact mode of transportation, you help to the battle against global warming!