Berlin – Vienna
via Dresdendep.evening
arr.morning
- Seat
- Couchette
- Sleeper
Currywurst for dinner, Viennese coffee for breakfast.
Night train special · 2027 timetableFall asleep in Berlin.
Fall asleep in Berlin.
Wake up in Vienna.
Night trains are back and suddenly cool again: board in the evening, rattle across Europe overnight and step off in the city centre in the morning. We picked 13 routes that are genuinely worth it.
The night train constellation
Tap a line or a ticket. Every route runs in both directions.
Hamburg – Vienna
via Hannoverdep.evening
arr.morning
- Seat
- Couchette
- Sleeper
Swap the harbour for the opera, with one long sleep in a new-generation Nightjet.
Munich – Rome
via Bologna, Florenzdep.evening
arr.morning
- Seat
- Couchette
- Sleeper
Fall asleep in Bavaria, wake up to pine trees and espresso.
Engineering works 2027: no service 7 Feb to 4 May 2027; 5 May to 29 Aug 2027 only as far as Bologna (no Florence or Rome).
Munich – Amsterdam
dep.evening
arr.morning
- Seat
- Couchette
- Sleeper
From beer halls to canals without a single change.
Berlin – Paris
via Hamburg-Harburg, Lüttich, Brüsseldep.17:52
arr.10:45
- Seat
- Couchette
- Sleeper
Berlin and Paris are linked by night train again. Croissant beats currywurst. You can also board in Hamburg-Harburg at 21:55.
Departs Berlin-Spandau. Return from Paris Nord Tue, Thu, Sun at 16:57.
Amsterdam – Prague
via Berlin, Dresdendep.21:34
arr.10:54
- Seat
- Couchette
- Sleeper
Canals at night, the Vltava by lunch. You simply sleep through Berlin.
The train starts in Brussels at 18:06. Return from Prague Tue, Thu, Sun at 18:00.
Cologne – Milan
via Gotthard, Lugano, Comodep.22:07
arr.12:40
- Seat
- Couchette
- Sleeper
Cross the Alps in your sleep, wake up at the Gotthard, lunch in Milan.
From the timetable change on 13 Dec 2026 the train runs via Breda and Eindhoven; times may change.
Hamburg – Stockholm
via Kopenhagen, Lunddep.evening
arr.morning
- Seat
- Couchette
- Sleeper
Cross the Øresund Bridge and wake up to cinnamon buns.
The train starts in Berlin. Operated by RDC instead of SJ since September 2026.
Vienna – Venice
dep.evening
arr.morning
- Seat
- Couchette
- Sleeper
Schnitzel for dinner, gondolas for breakfast.
Engineering works 2027: no service 24 May to 11 July 2027.
London – Edinburgh
dep.evening
arr.morning
- Seat
- Couchette
- Sleeper
The classic: fall asleep in London, wake up in Scotland.
Departs London Euston. Seats or cabins, no couchettes.
Sofia – Istanbul
via Plovdivdep.evening
arr.morning
- Seat
- Couchette
- Sleeper
Adventure mode: passport check in the middle of the night, Istanbul in the morning.
Everyone gets off briefly for passport control at Kapıkule. Arrives at Halkalı on the city outskirts.
Hamburg – Munich
via Bremen, Augsburgdep.21:22
arr.08:14
- Seat
- Couchette
- Sleeper
New from 23 March 2027: your own little suite with a lie-flat seat instead of a bunk.
The Nox Suite is a large screened seat that turns into a lounge position at night. Return from Munich Sun, Tue, Thu at 21:20.
Stuttgart – Budapest
dep.evening
arr.morning
- Seat
- Couchette
- Sleeper
Swabian noodles for dinner, the Danube for breakfast.
YEAH night train tours
Sleep on the train. Wake up on holiday.
Short trips built from the routes above: the night counts as travel time, the day belongs to the city.
Vienna without the Friday hotel night
Board after work on Friday, back fresh on Monday. Two nights on the train, one in a hotel.
🚆 2 nights on the train🏨 1 hotel night🎉 For two + squad
Affiliate link: Vienna- Fri evening
Board in Berlin, picnic dinner, lights out somewhere past Dresden.
- Sat morning
Arrive in Vienna. Breakfast in a coffee house, then Naschmarkt and the MuseumsQuartier.
- Sat evening
A wine tavern on the edge of town or bar hopping in the 7th district. Night in a hotel.
- Sun
Prater, Danube Canal, one last Melange. Bags in a station locker.
- Sun evening
Nightjet back to Berlin. You are home on Monday morning.
The twistThe Melange ranking
Three coffee houses, three Melanges, scores from 1 to 10. Whoever ends up furthest from the group average buys breakfast on the train.
Check 2027 days and times with Nightjet before booking.
The Paris sprint
Board in Spandau at 17:52 on Friday, breakfast in Paris on Saturday, back in Berlin at ten on Monday.
🚆 2 nights on the train🏨 1 hotel night💞 For two
Affiliate link: Paris- Fri 17:52
European Sleeper from Berlin-Spandau. Coming from Hamburg? Board at Harburg at 21:55.
- Sat 10:45
Arrive at Paris Nord. Croissant, Canal Saint-Martin, Montmartre at night. Night in a hotel.
- Sun
Flea market or a picnic by the Seine, then back to Gare du Nord.
- Sun 16:57
Train from Paris Nord via Brussels and Hamburg-Harburg.
- Mon 10:10
Arrive at Berlin Gesundbrunnen. Work from home after lunch, croissant crumbs in your bag.
The twistThe baguette relay
Everyone buys a baguette in a different neighbourhood. Blind tasting on the Seine, the winning loaf rides home with you.
European Sleeper leaves Berlin Mon, Wed, Fri and Paris Tue, Thu, Sun. Times as per the October 2026 timetable.
A Munich weekend on the Nox
New from March 2027: your own suite from Hamburg on Friday night, Bavarian breakfast in Munich on Saturday.
🚆 2 nights on the train🏨 1 hotel night🎉 Squad
Affiliate link: Munich- Fri 21:22
Nox from Hamburg, stopping in Bremen. Recline, headphones in.
- Sat 08:14
Arrive in Munich. Viktualienmarkt, watch the Eisbach surfers, beer garden in the afternoon.
- Sat evening
Glockenbach district. Night in a hotel.
- Sun
English Garden or a lake trip, back to the station in the evening.
- Sun 21:20
Nox back, arriving in Hamburg at 08:27 on Monday.
The twistWhite sausage before noon
Munich tradition says white sausage is eaten before noon. Can you make it after arrival, with a pretzel and sweet mustard?
Nox leaves Hamburg Mon, Wed, Fri and Munich Sun, Tue, Thu, starting 23 March 2027. Hotels are especially pricey during Oktoberfest, book early.
The big Alpine loop
Three nights on trains, three countries, two hotel nights. Cologne, Milan, Venice, Vienna and back to Germany.
🚆 3 nights on the train🏨 2 hotel nights🎉 Squad
🚆 Cologne → Milan🚆 Vienna → Venice🚆 Berlin → ViennaHotels in Milan ↗Hotels in Venice ↗Hotels in Vienna ↗Explore Milan →Explore Venice →Explore Vienna →
Affiliate link: Milan, Venice, Vienna- Sat 22:07
European Sleeper from Cologne. The Alps start somewhere in the night.
- Sun 12:40
Arrive at Milano Garibaldi. Aperitivo instead of a nap. Night in a hotel.
- Mon
Day train to Venice. Alleys, cicchetti, sunset by the water.
- Mon evening
Nightjet from Venice to Vienna.
- Tue
Vienna in one go: coffee house, Naschmarkt, Danube Canal. Night in a hotel.
- Wed evening
Nightjet to Berlin or Hamburg. Home on Thursday morning.
The twistThree-country espresso
Score the first coffee in every country. Whoever predicts the winning cup becomes squad barista.
From 13 Dec 2026 the Cologne-Milan train runs via Breda and Eindhoven; times may change. Venice-Vienna does not run 24 May to 11 July 2027.
Seat, couchette or sleeper?
The honest version, no brochure talk.
Seat
The budget hack. Sleeping upright is for the tough, the young and anyone who can sleep anywhere.
Couchette
The shared-flat compartment: four to six bunks, bedding included, strangers included. Sweet spot for squads: book the whole compartment.
Sleeper
A proper bed, often with a washbasin, sometimes with your own shower. For couples, the upgrade that pays off.
Pack list for the night
Is it worth it?
- You save a hotel night
- You arrive in the city centre
- No airport security queue
- Far less CO₂ than flying
- It takes longer
- Not everyone sleeps well on rails
- Timetables and engineering works change often
- Popular dates sell out early
Quick questions, quick answers
Do I need a reservation?
Yes. Almost all night trains require a reservation, even with an Interrail pass.
When should I book?
Early. Nightjet sells up to 360 days ahead, and four to six weeks ahead is a good rule of thumb.
Is breakfast included?
On Nightjets it is included in couchettes and sleepers. European Sleeper charges extra.
Can women travel in a women-only compartment?
On Nightjets women-only compartments and private compartments can be booked.
What if a connecting train is late?
If you combine trains from different operators there is usually no connection guarantee. Plan a buffer.
Status: 22 October 2026. Timetables change, especially at the December timetable change. Please check with the operator before booking. No prices on purpose: they change daily.
Sources: europeansleeper.eu · nightjet.com · ADAC: Nachtzug durch Europa 2026 · RDC / nachtexpress.de · Caledonian Sleeper · nighttrainmap.com