European Sleeper has announced plans to further expand its night train network with the launch of a new overnight service to Milan, scheduled to begin in June 2026. The route will run three times per week and is expected to include direct coaches from both Amsterdam and Brussels, reinforcing the company’s ambition to build a strong international night train network across Europe.
The Milan service follows the confirmation that European Sleeper will launch its Paris–Berlin night train on 26 March 2026, taking over a route that ÖBB and SNCF will discontinue in December 2025. Together, the two additions mark a significant milestone in the operator’s growth.
The planned Milan route will include intermediate stops in Cologne, Bern, Brig, and Stresa on Lake Maggiore, before terminating in Milan. By connecting northern Europe directly with Switzerland and northern Italy overnight, the service creates a new north–south backbone for European rail travellers, serving both leisure and business markets.
European Sleeper is a 100 percent community-owned Dutch–Belgian railway company, dedicated exclusively to night train operations between major European cities. Since launching in 2023, the operator has positioned itself as one of the few independent international rail companies in Europe, responding to growing demand for sustainable, long-distance rail travel.
Currently, European Sleeper operates night trains three times a week between Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin, Dresden, and Prague. To date, it has carried nearly 240,000 passengers on more than 750 night train services. From late March 2026, a second service will be added on the Paris–Berlin corridor.
The new Amsterdam and Brussels to Milan route is designed to integrate seamlessly with Europe’s wider rail network. Key connections will be available in Brussels for services to and from London, Cologne for Hamburg and Berlin, Bern for Zurich and Geneva, and Milan for onward travel to Venice, Florence, and Rome.
In Switzerland, the train will follow the historic Simplon route, passing through Bern, Brig, and Domodossola before crossing into Italy. A stop in Stresa, on the shores of Lake Maggiore, is intended to serve both tourists and regional travellers. Passengers will be able to enjoy early-morning and evening views of Alpine valleys and lakes along the journey.
To ensure suitable departure and arrival times, European Sleeper plans to operate separate train sections from Amsterdam and Brussels, which will be split or combined in western Germany. The company considers Amsterdam, Brussels, and Cologne all essential to the route’s commercial viability due to their population size and travel demand.
Departures from Amsterdam and Brussels are planned for Monday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings, with arrivals in Switzerland and Milan the following morning. Return services from Milan will operate on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday nights. Final timetables are currently being coordinated with national infrastructure managers.
Ticket sales for the Milan route are expected to open in January or February 2026. Pricing will be in line with existing European Sleeper services, with a range of accommodation options typical of night trains, from budget-friendly seats and couchettes to more comfortable sleeper options.
European Sleeper confirmed that launching the Milan service means it will not introduce a planned Barcelona route in 2026. However, preparations for a Barcelona connection remain underway, with operations now expected to begin in 2027 or 2028.
The expansion underlines the operator’s long-term vision to re-establish night trains as a practical, comfortable, and climate-conscious alternative to short-haul flights across Europe.
