After a successful test run on Monday, the first night train connecting Brussels and Berlin will start a regular schedule on Friday, 26 May, European Sleeper confirmed on Monday.
The first official train will depart Brussels’ Midi (South) Station at 7:22 pm on Friday, reach Amsterdam at 10:34 pm, then continue towards Berlin where it will arrive at 6:48 am the next morning. This special moment will be marked by an informal reception in the Brussels Midi station on Friday 26 May 2023, European Sleeper announced in a statement.
They feel the sleeper train is important to improve the sustainability of passenger transport in Europe. They see the sleeper train as an attractive and adventurous form of travel.
European Sleeper
“The new sleeper service between Brussels and Berlin is not just relevant for the cities on the route. Thanks to the sleeper service, other attractive options to travel by train come into play as well, for example between London and Berlin (change in Brussels to the Eurostar), Paris and Berlin (change in Brussels to the Thalys), Brussels and Warsaw (change in Berlin to the EuroCity)”, the company highlighted.
For European Sleeper, the introduction of this service is an important first step in building a more extensive network of sleeper trains from Belgium and the Netherlands. In recent months, the availability of sleeper carriages has proved the greatest challenge. The service between Brussels and Berlin will start with hired carriages, but the company will soon be investing in its own carriages with even more comfort, a modern feel and more privacy options.
The service will run three times a week, departing Berlin on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and departing Brussels on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. From 2024, the company hopes to extend the offer and run daily trains between the cities, as well as extend the journey to Dresden and Prague.
Tickets start at €70 for a seat, €100 for a place in a sleeping compartment and €130 for a place in the deluxe car, which has its own bathroom and a desk. Couchettes have 4 to 6 bunk beds, with up to 3 beds being bookable together, while the sleeping cars can be fully privately booked.
When reserving a bed, regardless of the type of the wagon, breakfast in the compartment is included, with more catering options available. Pets will also be allowed if the owner has a ticket for a private compartment, while bicycles can only be transported if a reservation is made in advance for the fee of €24.
