Belgian-Dutch railway cooperative European Sleeper has announced in its newsletter changes to the route of its new Brussels in Belgium to Milan in Italy night train, which will launch on 9 September 2026. The modifications will take effect with the timetable change in mid-December 2026, creating a direct night train connection between the Netherlands and Italy. Tickets are on sale from Tuesday 2 June.
From December, the train will add stops at Antwerp (likely Antwerp-Central or Antwerp-Berchem), Breda, and Eindhoven in the Netherlands, replacing the previously planned stops at Liège-Guillemins and Aachen Hbf between Brussels and Cologne.
Breda and Eindhoven already hosted a temporary night train between Brussels and Venice in early 2025. This change will provide a direct connection from the Netherlands to Italy, although the service will not start or end in Amsterdam as initially considered.
The company had previously stated that launching the train from Amsterdam was not viable during the low season.
In Switzerland, the train will no longer stop at Zurich, the country’s largest city. Instead, it will call at Aarau, which is approximately 35 minutes by train from Zurich. This change is expected to save time by using a different line and avoiding the terminus at Zurich HB, which requires a second locomotive.
The stops at Cologne, Bellinzona, Lugano, and Como will remain unchanged. Tickets for the modified route will go on sale on 2 June for travel until early January 2027.
European Sleeper explained that the route changes aim to ensure a direct connection from the Netherlands. The management had initially hoped to launch the Milan service from Amsterdam as well, but this option was deemed unfeasible during the low season.
Liège-Guillemins will continue to be served by other night trains, including the ÖBB Nightjet to Vienna in Austria and European Sleeper’s Paris to Berlin in Germany service, which launched in March and will add a stop at Hamburg-Harburg from mid-July. The cooperative is also studying a new Amsterdam to Stockholm in Sweden connection for 2027 or 2028.
Additionally, bookings for the Brussels to Prague in Czechia and Paris to Berlin routes will open on 9 June for Christmas travel.
Reservations will extend until the end of May 2027 in July, including high-season winter sports trains to Swiss stations, and until the end of June 2027 in September.
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