Brussels is set to get a direct overnight train to Scandinavia, with European Sleeper announcing plans for a new service linking the city, alongside Amsterdam, to Copenhagen and Malmo from 2028.
The route is being developed jointly with RDC, a German rail operator with a long track record running night trains between Germany and Scandinavia. Under the plan, trains would leave Brussels and Malmo at around seven in the evening and arrive at the other end by roughly ten the next morning, turning what is currently a fragmented, multi-leg journey into a single overnight hop.
One train, several onward cities
Passengers travelling beyond the core route would be able to reach London, Paris, Stockholm and Oslo with just one change, according to European Sleeper. The operator says the train will carry a mix of accommodation, from ordinary seats through to couchettes and sleeper compartments, and is also looking at a deluxe option with double beds and private en suite bathrooms for travellers willing to pay for more space.
Chris Engelsman, co-founder of European Sleeper, said the company's network was growing quickly and that Scandinavia was a natural next step, describing the new route as a way of connecting Western and Northern Europe overnight. RDC chief executive Markus Hunkel pointed to his company's years of experience running night trains between Germany and Scandinavia as the basis for the partnership.
European Sleeper already runs an overnight service between Brussels and Berlin via Amsterdam, launched in 2023, and has steadily added stops and capacity since. Ticket prices for the Scandinavia route have not yet been announced, with the launch still more than a year away.