Belgo–Dutch night train operator European Sleeper is considering sleeper trains from Brussels in Belgium to Innsbruck in Austria and Venice in Italy for the 2025 ski season. Travel Weekly divulged this news in June. 

The plan is to attract winter sports enthusiasts from the United Kingdom as well. Passengers could travel via Eurostar and then connect with a dedicated coach service from Southern England that would meet the train in Belgium after going through the Channel Tunnel.

The proposed schedule would allow for extended ski weekends, with departures from Brussels on Wednesdays and returns from Venice on Sundays. Each train would have a capacity of 750 passengers and offer comfortable sleeping compartments. The estimated travel time is 15 hours to Innsbruck and 20 hours to Venice.

While ticket prices haven’t been finalized, they are expected to be significantly cheaper than flying to Alpine airports during peak season.

European Sleeper wants to run the nigh trains to the Alps from February to Easter 2025.

Germany and Czechia

European Sleeper already has experience with overnight train services. They’ve been operating trains between Brussels and Berlin in Germany since 2023, with an extension to Dresden in Saxony and Prague in Czechia added recently.

The company has ambitions to expand its network further in the coming years. Potential future routes include Southern France and Barcelona in Spain, with connections from Brussels or Amsterdam in the Netherlands and easy access for travelers coming from London.

Schengen Area

However, there are challenges to overcome. European Sleeper’s co-founder Elmer van Buuren argues that requiring UK Border Force checks at stations on the continent creates an unfair advantage for airlines. Additionally, using London‘s Stratford station instead of the usual Channel Terminal at St. Pancras International due to capacity limitations would require additional planning.

Despite these hurdles, the possibility of a comfortable train journey to the Alps is a welcome development for environmentally conscious travelers who prefer a slower travel experience.

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