In exciting news for lovers of the romance and ease of rail, European Sleeper has confirmed the launch of its new twice-weekly Brussels to Venice overnight service, with a special inaugural departure as soon as next week, on 5 February 2025 – for which, remarkably, tickets are still available. See below for price details.
The service is designed to serve skiers, Venice Carnival visitors and the weekend travel market and will “align with European school holidays, the ski season, and city break getaways to Italy’s most iconic destinations, including Verona and Venice, offering a convenient and sustainable travel option for passengers across Europe,” European Sleeper said.
Timetable and costs
According to the International Railway Journal, the southbound itinerary will pull out of Brussels at 5pm; hitting Antwerp at 6pm, Rotterdam at 8pm, Utrecht at 9pm and Cologne at 11pm, arriving in Munich for departure at 7am the following morning.
It goes on to stop in Innsbruck for a 10am departure, Bolzano at midday, and Verona at 1pm. Arrival in Venice will be just in time for a late lunch at 2pm. The return service will depart Venice at 3pm and arrive in Brussels at 11am the next day.

Tickets, available on the European Sleeper website as well as the sites of partners such as Belgian National Railways (SNCB), Trainline and Omio, start at €119 for passengers prepared to do the journey in a seat or a berth in a shared cabin of up to six people. Alternatively, to secure a bed in a berth of up to three passengers and arrive fresher at the ski slopes, you’ll need to be prepared to pay a minimum of €239.
Reconnecting Europe’s cities by night
Hailing the inauguration as “a significant milestone for European Sleeper,” Chris Engelsman, European Sleeper co-founder, described the firm’s mission “to reconnect Europe’s cities by night, providing travellers with more options for sustainable and comfortable travel. With stops in iconic locations like Innsbruck and connections to ski resorts and cultural landmarks, this route truly captures the spirit of adventure and discovery.”
European Sleeper has been a key player in the sleeper train renaissance across Europe, assisted by a more helpful than ever regulatory climate, and political goodwill driven by climate consciousness. It serves passengers who are increasingly looking for alternatives to so-called budget airlines that are perceived to entail hidden costs and often fly to inconvenient airports instead of city centres.