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"It is with great sadness that we must announce the death of a dream. 3️⃣ Midnight Trains died today, surrounded by family and friends."

This was the message from Midnight Trains founder Adrien Aumont on May 3️⃣ 31, marking the end of the company's vision to create a new network of luxury night trains connecting major European 3️⃣ cities.

Europe had been on the brink of a potential night train revolution, as travelers sought out more sustainable links between 3️⃣ cities. The appeal of falling asleep in one city center and waking up in another, hundreds of miles away, has 3️⃣ become increasingly attractive in an era of heightened environmental concerns and problematic air travel experiences.

However, despite the demand, startups like 3️⃣ Midnight Trains face nearly insurmountable challenges in entering the market.

New "open access" rules that allow new operators to share Europe's 3️⃣ rail network with existing state-owned railway companies were expected to open the doors for innovative ideas and routes. Consequently, several 3️⃣ new operators emerged, proposing a web of new routes, cheaper fares, or more luxurious accommodations.

Nonetheless, only a few have managed 3️⃣ to launch their services.

Sweden's Snälltåget, connecting Stockholm with Denmark and Germany, and Czech travel provider Regiojet, operating a handful of 3️⃣ overnight routes in Central and Eastern Europe, are among the successful examples. European Sleeper, focusing solely on overnight travel, began 3️⃣ its Brussels-Amsterdam-Berlin trains in 2024 and now serves Prague three times a week.

European Sleeper's experiences, including struggles to secure appropriate 3️⃣ trains and schedules, offer cautionary lessons for other open-access operators. The company's ambition to launch a new route each year 3️⃣ is hindered by a shortage of suitable coaches and the complexities of navigating national railway administrations, particularly in France.

Despite a 3️⃣ compelling argument for "clean" air travel and the potential for night trains to encourage people to shift to rail travel 3️⃣ on medium-distance routes, Midnight Trains was unable to secure the necessary financial backing. The European Union's rail market, while theoretically 3️⃣ open to competition, has primarily opened up to itself, leaving new entrants at a disadvantage.

Crescente demanda

Midnight Trains aimed to offer a deluxe "hotel on wheels" experience between Paris and Barcelona starting in 2025.

Long-term plans 3️⃣ included serving 10 destinations radiating from Paris, including Milan/Venice, Florence/Rome, Hamburg, Berlin, and Copenhagen, as well as connections to Madrid, 3️⃣ Porto, and Edinburgh via the Channel Tunnel.

Although Midnight Trains discussed options with various suppliers, it did not secure any suitable 3️⃣ overnight vehicles, nor did it initiate the process of building or refurbishing them according to its proposed specifications. All prospective 3️⃣ open-access train operators face a significant challenge in sourcing appropriate "pre-loved" rolling stock.

Advocates of open-access night trains are urging the 3️⃣ European Union to facilitate the creation of new services by helping fund the procurement of specialized night train coaches, which 3️⃣ could then be leased to train companies.

"European Sleeper demonstrates that demand for long-distance cross-border passenger rail, including night trains, is 3️⃣ growing fast, and that such services can be operated in a commercially viable open-access manner," explains Brooks.

However, challenges persist beyond 3️⃣ acquiring the trains. Traditional venture capitalists and infrastructure funds are not equipped to invest in risky, complex, long-term projects, and 3️⃣ rail vehicle leasing companies are reluctant to invest in rolling stock without a guaranteed long-term operating contract.

Night trains are inherently 3️⃣ complicated, labor-intensive, and expensive to operate, which has contributed to their decline since the 1970s.

"The effort required to get new 3️⃣ sleeper trains up and running should not be underestimated," adds rail expert Mark Smith, better known as online rail travel 3️⃣ guru The Man in Seat 61. "But ÖBB and start-ups such as European Sleeper are proving that it can be 3️⃣ done."

Legacy railways have found it easier to deliver better overnight trains. ÖBB, working with Swiss Federal Railways and Germany's Deutsche 3️⃣ Bahn, has reinvigorated overnight routes linking hubs in Vienna and Zürich with cities in Germany, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Czechia, 3️⃣ France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

This success has encouraged other countries, including Italy, France, and Sweden, to re-examine overnight operations and 3️⃣ propose new carriages to improve their offering.

Italian State Railways has ordered 70 new carriages for night trains, featuring high-quality cabins 3️⃣ with en suite toilets and showers, some with double beds.

With the notable exception of Nightjet, European night train services have 3️⃣ yet to meet expectations. Demand is growing, but the immense challenges of financing and setting up new operations are suppressing 3️⃣ growth.

Formidable operational, political, and financial obstacles will not disappear overnight. A concerted effort by the EU and member states is 3️⃣ required to deliver railways truly open to competition, ensuring the long-awaited revolution in European night trains can thrive.