Leo Express has formally notified Schienen-Control in Austria of its intention to launch two unusual new open-access rail services: a year-round Bratislava–Ostend line from December 2026, and a seasonal Venice–Heringsdorf / Kiel service beginning in summer 2026. The filings, submitted on 11 December 2025, appear in the Austrian regulator’s register of planned new commercial rail services.
Under Austrian law, operators must announce any new open-access passenger service at least 18 months before the timetable year for which capacity is requested. The Leo Express notifications concern:
- Bratislava – Ostend, via Marchegg, Vienna Main Station, Vienna Heiligenstadt, Tulln and Gmünd, starting 13 December 2026.
- Venice Santa Lucia – Seebad Heringsdorf, via Villach, Selzthal, Linz and Summerau, operating 25 June – 5 September 2026 and 15 May – 10 September 2027.
- Venice – Kiel, via the same route north of Austria, beginning 6 September 2026 and 11 September 2027.
Extraordinary routings spark widespread reactions
The sheer complexity of the proposed Bratislava in Slovakia to Ostend in Belgium service, with its circuitous path through Austria, Czechia and Germany, has triggered a wave of astonished reactions across the rail community.
Independent railway commentator Jon Worth highlighted the official mention of the Bratislava–Ostend line from the 2027 timetable, describing the plans as “one of the most ridiculous train timetables I think I have ever seen” and adding: “I can neither imagine this happening, nor would it make sense for it to happen.”
Bluesky user ‘Pooh Sticks‘ suggested that the service might be designed “for a niche market of people who want to go interrailing but don’t want to use more than one service on the entire trip.”
Norwegian rail expert Ine Harsten, as quoted by Thomas Hansen, remarked in Norwegian that the concept resembles “a game of tracks rather than serious railroading”, noting that the journey would take “nearly a full day from Bratislava to the Channel, with countless stops.”
Satire, enthusiasm, and head-scratching
Some responses played up the absurdity for comic effect.
Not That Rick Scott joked that the route should extend even further via Antwerp, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Berlin, Warsaw, Kraków, Košice and Budapest so that “all other train routes in Central Europe will be obsolete”.
Simon questioned whether the extremely long path might be linked to capacity-allocation rules that favour trains that cover longer distances. Railway analyst Jon Worth responded that this is “possible”.
Others zoomed in on specific absurdities. Z-Kat raised eyebrows at the timetable’s suggestion that the train could run from České Budějovice to Veselí in five minutes—likely, they suggested, the result of misplaced optimism derived from hype around supposed ‘high-speed’ upgrades.
Progress?
Green Czech MEP Michal Berg noted that similar Leo Express plans for a connection to Belgium have repeatedly appeared since 2023 without visible progress.
Complaints about stops, speed and feasibility
Several readers pointed out the surprising density of stops along the German section.
Torsten quipped that the service appears to “truly put the ‘all’ into ‘stops at all stations’,” including a direct Prague–Düren connection that even detours to Leipzig/Halle Airport.
Seema Mehta counted “Thirteen stops in North Rhine-Westphalia?!”
Jan Schneider joked that the proposal would at last “connect Bratislava to the Eurostar.”
Others questioned the running times. Strongheld noted that Prague to Cologne in nine hours “will be more like ten with delays,” wondering how staff changes would be organised on such a long service.
Martha compared the stopping pattern to “what we used to call the milk run,” with stops every 20 to 30 minutes.
Historical context and speculation
Some commentators drew comparisons with past long-distance experiments.
Pglux, in a detailed thread, recalled SNCF’s ‘Night TGV‘ operations between 1989 and the early 2000s, describing how these services grew from occasional military-focused operations into seasonal long-distance night routes before being discontinued in the 2010s.
Others wondered about rolling stock. Martin Bertsch asked whether Leo Express planned to use Talgo IV sets. Jon Worth confirmed this had been the intention but maintained that the concept “still makes no sense,” adding: “Imagine the delays!”
No clear explanation yet
For now, the motivations behind Leo Express’s ambitious filings remain unclear. The proposals could represent genuine ambitions for a pan-European overnight network, strategic placeholder services for future capacity claims, or aspirational plans not yet backed by rolling stock or commercial feasibility.
What is certain is that the operator’s filings have captured the industry’s imagination—if not its confidence. Until Leo Express provides further details, the rail community remains divided between curiosity, scepticism and outright amusement at what some see as the most implausible timetable proposals in years.
More on night trains and transcontinental train travel
- GoVolta re-emerges to offer train services from Amsterdam to Hamburg and to Berlin using Belgian I10 carriages.
- Deutsche Bahn to offer a Cologne – Ostend / Bruges / Ghent – Cologne high-speed train connection in the summer of 2026?.
- Berlin-Hamburg-Stockholm night train saved by RDC Deutschland after Sweden stops subsidies.
- Rail should be functional, not fine art: EU leaders call for standardisation and lower costs.
- Subsidies for night trains? “You cannot fix this until someone builds more sleeper and couchette carriages”.
- European Sleeper to operate Paris – Brussels – Berlin night train route from March 2026.
- Leo Express and Arenaways plan direct train between Prague and Venice.
- Italo targets the German high-speed rail market.
- Trenitalia eyes expansion into Germany’s high-speed trains market.
- European Commission wants to link all EU capitals by high-speed train by 2040… and that’s not going to happen.
- Travellers in Europe increasingly open to choosing trains over planes for short-haul journeys.
- REVIEW | European Sleeper night train.
- Paris Nightjet axed: France’s withdrawal threatens Europe’s night train revival.
- TRAIN TRAVEL | European Union records 429 billion passenger-kilometres in 2023 but domestic travel still dominates.
- 2026 | Deutsche Bahn plans 4 ICE’s per day between Cologne and Antwerp and 16 per day between Frankfurt and Brussels.
- Iron Rhine gets renewed political attention in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.
- ÖBB prioritises Railjet over Nightjet: Is the night train revival a False Dawn?.
- Deutsche Bahn’s Antwerp – Brussels Airport – Leuven – Cologne ICE aims to attract tourists and Port of Antwerp-related business.
- VIDEO | Berlin start-up Nox to launch night trains with entirely private rooms from 2027.
- EUROPEAN SLEEPER | Brussels to Barcelona night train to stop in Avignon, Montpellier, Narbonne, and Girona.
- Trenitalia, Deutsche Bahn and ÖBB launch Frecciarossa EuroCity trains linking Berlin, Munich, Milan, Rome and Naples.
- European Commission commits to single-ticket train travel, Back-on-Track unconvinced it will happen.
- EU train travel report sees increase in cross-border passenger trains and easier bookings.
- Brussels to Luxembourg by train under 2 hours by 2030?.
- Eurostar and five more train operators joined the European Agreement on Journey Continuation.
- ÖBB’s new Nightjet sleeper cars accommodate solo travellers with Mini Cabins.
- Trenitalia orders new Hitachi Frecciarossa trains suited for France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
- EUROCITY EC-8 | Basel to Cologne in SBB’s Panoramic Car.
- Trenitalia / FS confirms interest in connecting Spain to Brussels, Amsterdam and Berlin.
- REVIEW | Trenitalia Frecciarossa 1000 Paris – Milan in Business Executive.
- RAIL TOUR OF EUROPE | How easy is touring Europe by train?.
- Eight train connections between the Netherlands and Belgium by 2030?.
- REVIEW | ÖBB Nightjet Amsterdam – Zurich night train.
- Nightjet Vienna/Innsbruck to Brussels, or how we got thrown off the train in Aachen.
- Why the expensive ÖBB Nightjet is really not that expensive.
- Ticket Distribution: the failure of railways to sell themselves.
- To use night trains in Portugal and Spain or not?.
- Night trains in Europe.
- Low-cost, long-haul trains to conquer Europe?.
- Fly now before it’s taxed and consider using the train instead.
Channel Tunnel updates
- #CROSSCHANNELRAIL | Expanding UK-Europe train links most realistically leading to Switzerland.
- Deutsche Bahn and Eurostar team up for Germany – London train link in early 2030s.
- CHANNEL TUNNEL | Virgin Trains gains access to Temple Mills, ORR snubs links to Germany and Switzerland.
- Eurostar unveils €2 billion Alstom ‘Celestia’ fleet of double-decker sustainable trains.
- Gemini Trains partners with Uber for Stratford to France Channel Tunnel route.
- Eurostar and St. Pancras Highspeed back major station expansion to double capacity amid growing international demand.
- EUROSTAR | London – Frankfurt, London – Geneva and Amsterdam – Antwerp – Brussels – Geneva from 2030?.
- Alstom wants its double-decker trains to ride through Channel Tunnel.
- London to Switzerland direct train moves a little closer with new bilateral agreement.
- Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS) plan to launch a new high-speed link between London and Paris.
- London St. Pancras Highspeed pledges financial support for cross-Channel rail services.
- London St Pancras Highspeed and Getlink aspire to to triple train services to France, Belgium and the Netherlands and add services to Germany and Switzerland.
- Heuro wants to operate high speeds trains between Amsterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, Paris and London from 2028.
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