From December 2023, the Nightjet service which links Vienna in Austria to Brussels in Belgium will run daily. Half December is the when train schedules change in Europe. Nightjet is the night train brand of the Austrian Federal Railways ÖBB. Back on Tack Belgium revealed the news on Thursday.

“We owe these extra connections to the new Nightjet coaches of the ÖBB that will run from Vienna to Italy and the night train connection between Paris and Berlin“, Back On Track Belgium remarks. 

The connection to Italy frees up the – unfortunately older – carriages for the connection to and from Brussels and Vienna. 

“The second connection between Paris and Berlin will rather run south of Luxembourg via Strasbourg in France, but we will also be able to enjoy it in Brussels. In Mannheim, just below Frankfurt am Main in Germany, the wagons from Brussels and Paris will be exchanged late in the evening, and from Vienna and Berlin early in the morning, which means that many more diverse connections can be offered to and from Brussels without transfer . While asleep, everyone will move in the right direction.”

So yes, there will be a second Brussels – Berlin option, next to the European Sleeper. The Dutch-Belgian company will face stiff competition.

Night train finally a fully-fledged public transport option

“Back on Track Belgium is pleased that we have the prospect of a daily night train connection for the first time”, says a delighted spokesman Alexander Gomme.

“Now (affordable) tickets are quickly sold out. In the high season, many interested people can no longer find a ticket. That discourages and makes the aircraft (more) attractive. Due to a more regular offer, the night train is a fully-fledged public transport option: regular timetable at acceptable prices and no sardine cans on the move.”

“We therefore hope that the German Deutsche Bahn (DB), French SNCF and Belgian NMBS / SNCB will now fully support the night train. But the political decision-makers certainly also have more to do. Once they will see that these extra night trains are also used a lot, they can adjust their policy (more) accordingly. This is essential for current and new players who are still developing their offer.” 

“It is not yet a Paris – Brussels – Berlin connection as we were striving for in 2014, but it shows that Brussels is an important destination. It therefore fits perfectly within our #Hub4Brussels project in which we see Brussels as a European night train hub.”

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