Night trains in France: Where do we stand?
by
Published on 5/27/25, modified on 4/3/26
In 1981, France was criss-crossed by a hundred nighttime lines. 40 years later, only two remain. In recent years, we've all seen one of our favorite night train lines disappear. The Hendaye-Lisbon in 2020, the Paris-Madrid, the Paris-Barcelona or even the Paris-Rome in 2013... The list is long, and it's not all. the phenomenon spread throughout Europe. To understand this paradox, we delved into the history of this fragile yet mythical mode of transport: between golden age, under-investment, post-Covid renaissance and the risk of a new collapse, the european night train reaches a decisive moment. So, another disappearance or hope for rebirth? We explain everything.
It all began in the United States in the 1860s with George Pullman who imagined the first modern sleeping cars: real berths, light and privacy. A revolution: for the first time, you no longer had to endure the night in a train, you actually slept in it.
A Belgian engineer, Georges Nagelmackers and founded the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. His ambition: to create a network of luxury trains throughout Europe.
And so, in 1883, the legend was born: the Orient Express A veritable hotbed of diplomatic intrigue, writers, aristocrats... and perhaps a few spies. It quickly became the the world symbol of the night train. By the way, if you're interested, we've written a full article on the Orient Express.
The Second World War changed everything: sleeping cars were requisitioned, some to transport soldiers, others for medical missions. Even the Orient Express was used for military logistics. The night train ceased to be a luxury item, and became an indispensable tool.
After the war, with paid vacations and the boom in tourism, it became the perfect solution for families: you leave after work, sleep on the way, and arrive straight at your vacation destination.
Between 1965 and 1980, traffic doubled. Up to 16% of SNCF passenger traffic is made up of night trains!
This is the age when France boasts some twenty major night-time lines and where Europe dreams of a integrated night network a forerunner of a coordinated Europe of railways.
Rail is not structurally unprofitable This involves subsidies, massive infrastructure maintenance and regulated fares. The TGV is the only exception: it is self-financing thanks to ticket sales. The rest of the system remains dependent on public funding.
And for the night train, reality is even harder :- 1 return trip per day,- more expensive equipment,- limited profitability,- competition from other modes of transport (low-cost aircraft, long-distance buses, car-sharing).
You may have guessed it, but all rail work is done at night. And with France's aging network (rails over a hundred years old, catenaries over 70 years old), the work is multiplying.
Result:
And the night train is a bit like the barometer of the health of our rail network. THE NGO Climate Action Network, in its recent study on night trains expresses it very well: if the night train runs, everything runs.
In fact, it runs on the classic network, over long distances and necessarily on night-time schedules. So, as soon as the network ages, as soon as there's an incident or a delay in renovation, it's the first to be penalized.
If you've ever tried to book an international night train, you know it's not the most intuitive experience. On SNCF Connect, some operators like European Sleeper, Trenitalia or ÖBB sometimes simply don't appear. This means juggling different platforms and booking systems.
And until Europe harmonizes access to sales, the night rail will remain fragile.
Today, the French State owns only 129 couchette cars. A fleet so small that it prevents the opening of new lines, the implementation of alternative routes during construction work, and the absorption of demand (trains sell out too quickly).
To give you an idea, we're talking about 2 million euros for a sleeper car and 8 million for a locomotive. And for private players, obtaining financing and bank guarantees is a real obstacle course.
Another key factor in the decline of night trains is political will, or rather the lack of it. Contrary to popular belief, it's not ridership that's caused this mode of transport to falter Night trains fill up very well, sometimes even too quickly, due to a lack of seats. What's missing is a clear public vision.
The night train is not a product like any other: it's a public service, a regional development tool and a climate lever. And like any public service, it needs a strong commitment from the State.
As rolling stock is extremely expensive, and private operators have difficulty obtaining the loans they need to start up or develop a night-time business, governments play a decisive role. A public order doesn't just buy trains, it launches a production chain and validates a model that other companies can then use. Without this support, everything becomes slower, more expensive and more fragile. And until the State fully recognizes the daily usefulness of night trains, and makes them a mobility priority, this mode of transport remains subject to the slightest budgetary arbitrage, the slightest change in political direction.
But the story doesn't end there: an unexpected turn of events will give the night train a place it was no longer imagined.
Article
The ultimate guide to night trains in France and Europe
The Covid crisis is changing the game: people are traveling less, thinking more, becoming more aware of the impact of their journeys. And suddenly, the night train reappears in the collective imagination.
Result:
Even the private sector is getting involved:
The message is clear: night trains are seductive all audiences from backpackers to the very wealthy.
In 2025, due to political instability, the government withdrew the subsidy enabling the trains to run. Paris-Berlin and Paris-Vienne (we told you all about it in this article). This is a blow: these lines were emblematic of the revival of night trains in Europe.
What is happening today is a perfect illustration of this dependence on public decisions. When France decided to withdraw its subsidy for the Paris-Berlin and Paris-Vienna trains, the Austrian operator ÖBB simply no longer had the means to run the service. The verdict is in: both lines will be discontinued on December 14, 2025. Not for lack of passengers (occupancy rates were excellent), but for lack of a stable political framework. Proof of the vulnerability of the night train: a line can be reborn thanks to public impetus, but it can also disappear overnight following a budgetary decision.
Following this announcement, mobilization was immediate: nearly 100,000 signatures to save the Paris-Berlin and Paris-Vienna night trains (proof that the enthusiasm is not waning). In fact, the collective's petition Yes to night trains is still active: while the Paris-Berlin line has so far been "saved" (taken over in March 2026 by European Sleeper), the Paris-Vienna line is still under threat:
One of the best pieces of news in recent years has been the massive call for tenders launched by the French government to put new rolling stock back on the rails: 27 locomotives and 180 sleeper cars with a possible extension to 340 cars. A first in over 40 years.
In concrete terms, this call for tenders could create a replicable model, make life easier for private operators and finally put night services back at the heart of a long-term rail strategy.
But according to Climate Action Network the government's proposal for 180 sleeper cars would only optimize current lines. To go further, the collective is exploring 2 expansion scenarios by 2035 in its report "Night trains: the alarm clock has sounded". :
To find out more about Réseau Action Climat's analysis and discover the scenarios in question (with supporting maps) : visit our dedicated article.
Alongside the public relaunch, a new generation of operators is showing that night trains can once again become a way of life. a breeding ground for innovation. European Sleeper is one of the most exciting symbols of this. Their arrival in France, with the ambition of take over a line as emblematic as Paris-Berlin reflects a real confidence in the future of Europe's railways. Despite the challenges of visibility, capacity and equipment, the team is moving forward with the conviction that the demand is there, and that the public is waiting for just that: reliable, regular, accessible night trains.
And they're not alone. The project Nox led by Thibaut Constant, also embodies the new energy sweeping through the sector. Seeing such players emerge proves that the night train is no longer a relic of the past, but a living market, capable of attracting entrepreneurs who believe deeply in its potential. Their presence shows that the nocturnal future of the railways does not rest solely with the State: it also rests with those who imagine new ways of travelling, and who are ready to write the next page of European railway nights. But their development depends on a stable political framework, fair access to train paths and a properly maintained network.
Without a clear public commitment, it will be difficult for night trains to develop.
Yet the potential is immense: in France, with 600 cars the night network could carry 6 million passengers or even 12 million the long term, while avoiding almost a million tons of CO₂ per year.
The night train didn't almost disappear because it was no longer useful. It almost disappeared because we stopped giving it the means to exist. Today, anything is still possible: a new golden age... or a new collapse.
The choice depends neither on the travelers (they're there) nor on the operators (they're ready), but on a collective decision. To finally recognize the night train as a tool of the future. A powerful, modern, efficient tool, profoundly necessary in a Europe seeking to reconcile mobility, sobriety and the desire to explore.
Issue du monde de la communication et des médias, Sophie est Responsable éditoriale chez HOURRAIL ! depuis août 2024. Elle est notamment derrière le contenu éditorial du site ainsi que La Locomissive (de l'inspiration voyage bas carbone et des bons plans, un jeudi sur deux, gratuitement dans ta boîte mail !).
Convaincue que les changements d’habitude passent par la transformation de nos imaginaires, elle s’attache à montrer qu’il est possible de voyager autrement, de manière plus consciente, plus lente et plus joyeuse. Son objectif : rendre le slow travel accessible à toutes et tous, à travers des astuces, des décryptages et surtout, de nouveaux récits.
