Europe's love affair with night trains is gaining real momentum, with exciting developments that promise to transform how we travel across the continent. While the journey has its bumps, the destination looks increasingly promising.

Austria's national railway company ÖBB is leading an impressive charge, investing over €500 million in next-generation Nightjet trains—more than any other European railway company. By mid-2026, 24 brand-new sleeper trains will be gliding passengers to their destinations in comfort. These aren't your grandmother's night trains; they're modern, smooth-riding marvels that are winning over travelers.

"The Austrians' cars are running so smoothly - it's a dream," enthuses Poul Kattler, founding member of Back-on-Track, a network championing better cross-border rail connections. This enthusiasm is shared by growing numbers of passengers choosing the romance and sustainability of overnight rail over flying.

France is making equally exciting strides with plans to order 180 new carriages for its Intercités de Nuit overnight services. "This order will guarantee that night train services in France will keep running for the coming 20 years," says Quentin Marsal of Oui au train de nuit, a collective championing France's sleeper trains. With options to purchase 160 additional carriages, France could extend services to regions currently underserved by high-speed rail.

Italy is also joining the renaissance through Trenitalia's impressive €732 million partnership with Czech manufacturer Škoda, bringing 370 new coaches in the coming years. These modern carriages feature hotel-style sleeping compartments with double beds instead of traditional bunks—a welcome upgrade that's attracting new audiences to overnight rail travel.

The transformation isn't without challenges, of course. Some routes face temporary suspensions due to infrastructure improvements—the very modernization work needed to make night trains even better. Construction projects in Germany and Italy are upgrading rail networks to handle tomorrow's trains more efficiently. Meanwhile, a new EU-wide rail capacity regulation is being implemented to smooth cross-border planning and coordination.

Public enthusiasm for sleeper trains is unmistakable. In December 2025, pyjama-wearing supporters camped out in Amsterdam, Lisbon, and Vienna, demonstrating their passion for better-invested sleeper networks. Their message is clear: Europeans want sustainable, comfortable overnight travel options.

The environmental case is compelling too. Night trains represent what advocates call "a cheap way to green Europe's transport," offering taxpayers excellent value while advancing climate goals. As more passengers discover the pleasure of boarding a train in one city and waking up refreshed in another—no airport hassles, no carbon guilt—demand continues building.

Yes, coordination between countries needs improvement, and aging infrastructure requires ongoing investment. But the direction of travel is unmistakably positive. Governments are committing hundreds of millions of euros, manufacturers are designing beautiful new trains, and operators are expanding networks.

The night train renaissance may be arriving more gradually than some hoped, but it's arriving nonetheless—one smooth-riding, comfortable, sustainable journey at a time. For those who love the magic of overnight rail travel, the future is looking brighter than it has in decades.