All Night trains articles
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News‘Sleep in Motion’ night train concept launched
EUROPE: A ‘groundbreaking’ concept for high-capacity overnight trains has been unveiled by Škoda Group. Developed by designers in the Austrian arm of the company, the ‘Sleep in Motion’ proposal features a double-deck coach with pairs of single-berth cubicles stacked one above the other on each side of ...
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NewsCross-border complexity puts brakes on Nightjet expansion
EUROPE: Further expansion of Austrian Federal Railways’ Nightjet overnight train network beyond the routes already announced is on hold amid ongoing operational and approvals challenges, according to ÖBB.
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NewsBrussels – Venezia night train to serve winter sports and city break destinations
EUROPE: Open access night train operator European Sleeper is to launch a seasonal Brussels – Utrecht – Köln – München – Innsbruck – Verona – Venezia service to winter sports and city trip destinations. The service is being planned around school holidays, the peak winter sports ...
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NewsReport identifies European missing links where rail could compete with air
EUROPE: Environmental campaigning organisation Greenpeace has produced a comprehensive study of rail services between major European cities, highlighting the ‘untapped potential’ for new direct trains which could replace flights. The Connection Failed report looks at 990 routes between 45 cities. It says only 13% of the ...
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NewsSJ to replace Vy Tåg as night train operator
SWEDEN: National transport agency Trafikverket has directly awarded state operator SJ a contract to operate Stockholm – Narvik overnight trains for one year from December 15 2024, with an option for a further year. SJ operated the services until December 2020, when the Vy Tåg subsidiary ...
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In depthComment: Private train operators seek the light
The collapse of Midnight Trains has raised questions about the viability of new entrants in Europe’s open access rail market, despite the optimism surrounding ventures like Le Train and Proxima. Nick Kingsley reflects on the challenges and potential for future success in this competitive landscape.
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Rail Business UKFlipside redesigns Caledonian Sleeper website
UK: Night train operator Caledonian Sleeper has worked with digital agency Flipside to make its Sleeper.scot website more user-friendly. Matterport’s 360 technology has been used to provide virtual tours of the trains, and Recite Me has enhanced the site’s accessibility with customisable background colour, font style, ...
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NewsMidnight Trains drops plans for hotel quality sleeper train network
FRANCE: Start-up Midnight Trains has abandoned its ambitious plan to develop a network of premium overnight trains offering hotel-standard accommodation on European routes of up to 1 500 km from Paris, after being unable to raise the necessary funding. Co-founder Adrien Aumont said the rail sector’s ...
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NewsRegioJet to launch night train to Ukraine
EUROPE: RegioJet has opened ticket sales for a night train service between Praha and the rail hub at Chop in western Ukraine’s Zakarpattia Oblast. The operator says this will be the first 100% commercially operated service between the European Union and Ukraine. The daily service is ...
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NewsEuropean day and overnight train expansion outlined in green travel collaboration
EUROPE: Open access night train co-operative European Sleeper and tour operator Flywise’s rail brand GreenCityTrip are to collaborate to offer travel from the Netherlands and Belgium to Berlin, Dresden and Praha. European Sleeper’s Brussels – Amsterdam – Berlin overnight service is to be extended to Dresden ...
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Rail Business UKCracks found on Caledonian Sleeper vehicles
UK: A National Incident Report issued on January 10 confirmed that hairline cracks have been found in the T slots of eight of 75 MkV coaches in the Caledonian Sleeper fleet at points where the yaw damper bracket joins the body of the vehicle. Industry sources ...
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In depthEurope: Overnight trains are back in vogue
With the launch of next-generation rolling stock on ÖBB’s international overnight trains and the revival of a Paris – Berlin service, the stage is set for a night train renaissance in Europe. Toma Bačić reports.
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NewsAmtrak begins procurement to renew Long Distance train fleet
USA: Amtrak has issued a request for proposals for a ‘once-in-a-generation, multi-billion-dollar’ procurement of double-deck rolling stock to replace its Long Distance fleet. The RFP was informed by the responses to a request for information issued in December 2022. Amtrak is soliciting offers from established companies ...
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NewsÖBB introduces Siemens Nightjet fleet as Paris – Berlin sleeper train revived
EUROPE: Austrian Federal Railways launched its next-generation fleet of Nightjet overnight trains into service on December 10 when the first trains formed of new Siemens Mobility rolling stock ran on the Wien/Innsbruck – Hamburg route. The two portions, each comprising a single push-pull trainset, were joined ...
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NewsERA authorises Nightjet coaches for international operation
EUROPE: An initial batch of Siemens Mobility-built Nightjet coaches ordered by Austrian Federal Railways has been approved by ERA for use in Germany, Italy, Austria and Switzerland.
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NewsUkrainian Railways orders replacement night train coaches
UKRAINE: National railway Ukrzaliznytsia has awarded domestic manufacturer KVSZ a 1·95bn hryvna contract to supply 44 night train coaches over the next two years. The order announced on October 17 includes 20 sleeping cars with four-berth compartments, 12 with two-berth compartments, nine 56-berth platskartny cars and ...
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NewsEuropean Sleeper announces launch date for Praha night train service
EUROPE: Open access night train operator European Sleeper has announced the launch date and timetable for the extension of its current Brussels - Berlin service to Dresden and Praha. Services are scheduled to start on March 25 2024. European Sleeper’s Brussels – ...
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NewsNightjet unveiled as the ‘flagship of European night train traffic‘
AUSTRIA: Austrian Federal Railways has unveiled the first of its next generation of Nightjet fixed-formation loco-hauled trainsets for overnight trains, calling it ‘the new flagship of the European night train traffic’. The unveiling took place in the former Wien Nordwest station on September 30 as part ...
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NewsÖBB and DB to enhance cross-border passenger train services
EUROPE: Citing a boom in rail traffic between Germany and Austria, ÖBB and DB have announced plans to increase long-distance cross-border services with effect from the December 10 timetable change.
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NewsMarket study to identify the keys to successful night train services
EUROPE: The German Centre for Rail Traffic Research, DZSF, has appointed a consortium of Railistics, SSP Consult Beratende Ingenieure and Innofact to study how European night train services can be developed by increasing their attractiveness and reducing the barriers to market entry.