ÖBB ends Paris night trains after French withdrawal
Austria’s ÖBB will end its Paris–Vienna and Paris–Berlin Nightjet services with the timetable change on 14 December 2025, citing the withdrawal of French partners after the Transport Ministry decided to end state subsidies. Paris–Vienna has run since December 2021, while Paris–Berlin relaunched in December 2023.
ÖBB indicates that without French public orders in 2026, SNCF Voyageurs cannot remain a partner. Support for the routes is reported at EUR 5–10 million annually. In 2024, around 36,000 passengers used Paris–Vienna and 30,000 used Paris–Berlin despite 13 weeks of construction disruption. Both routes have been operating three times weekly rather than the initially envisaged daily service.
Why it matters
The decision closes a flagship chapter in Europe’s sleeper revival and highlights a persistent structural issue: international night trains often depend on cross-border subsidy frameworks that are difficult to sustain when national budgets tighten or priorities shift. Operators face higher staffing and maintenance costs, limited capacity per consist, and a single daily rotation, while aviation continues to benefit from untaxed kerosene.
ÖBB emphasizes it remains committed to night trains. The Vienna–Brussels Nightjet will continue three times weekly in 2026, and delivery of 24 new-generation Nightjet trainsets proceeds for routes including Vienna–Amsterdam and Munich–Rome. The company has already rebalanced investments toward daytime Railjet 2 units, reflecting both the opportunities and limits of the sleeper market.
What’s next: Timetable updates for December 2025 will formalize the withdrawal. Attention turns to whether revised EU/state funding mechanisms—or coordinated PSO-style contracts—can provide a durable model for international sleepers beyond 2025.