Sleeper Train Subsidy Cuts Spark Protests, But New Operator Steps Up

The fragile economics of the European sleeper train revival were laid bare when the Austrian operator ÖBB announced it would ax its Paris-Berlin and Paris-Vienna Nightjet services. The cuts, set for December 14, were blamed directly on the French government’s decision to end subsidies, sparking a “pyjama party” protest by the ‘Oui au train de nuit!’ campaign group at Paris Gare de l’Est. The group’s 91,000-signature petition highlighted the public’s strong desire for these sustainable travel options.
In a dramatic turnaround, that public demand appears to have been heard by the private sector. The Dutch cooperative European Sleeper has announced it will take over the Paris-Berlin route, with a new service launching on March 26, 2026. This move has been hailed as a “partial victory” by the protest group’s spokesperson, Nicolas Forien, demonstrating that a viable market exists even without the state support that ÖBB relied upon.
The new service will be a high-capacity affair, running three times a week. Departures from Paris Gare du Nord are planned for Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday evenings, with return trips from Berlin on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. European Sleeper’s co-founder, Chris Engelsman, is confident they can win over the existing Nightjet market, especially given their superior capacity.
Engelsman explained that his service will run 12 to 14 coaches directly to Berlin, carrying 600-700 passengers. This is a significant upgrade from the Nightjet, which had to split its 12-coach train between its Vienna and Berlin destinations. The new service will also take a different route, with plans to go via Brussels instead of Strasbourg and Frankfurt.
While European Sleeper has been a key player in the sleeper market, it has a mixed reputation for “no-frills nostalgia” alongside technical glitches. The new route will use 1990s German-rented coaches, a step up from their older stock. However, the company is being upfront about the lack of a dining car at launch, citing the “challenge” of profitability due to high rental and staff costs, a common issue that subsidy-free operators must face.