RDC Germany takes over Berlin–Stockholm night train
NIGHT TRAINS: RDC Germany steps in as commercial operator on the Berlin–Hamburg–Stockholm EuroNight from 1 September 2026 — cutting frequency from daily to three times a week as Sweden’s four-year startup subsidy ends.
RDC Deutschland Group confirmed on 13 October 2025 it would continue the route independently after Trafikverket ended its subsidy contract with SJ. Ticket sales open 1 June 2026 via nachtexpress.de, with sleeper, couchette and seat options from EUR 40.
SJ will continue to support operations on the Scandinavian section, but RDC becomes the responsible operator — marking a shift from state-backed service to privately run commercial route.
From subsidised startup to commercial test
RDC has operated on the route since its launch in September 2022, supplying coaches, staff and train drivers on the German section under SJ’s overall responsibility. The handover gives RDC full operational control of a 1,500 km corridor it already knows — through Hamburg, Copenhagen and Malmö to Stockholm.
The frequency cut is the commercial reality made visible. Three weekly departures in each direction is what the route can sustain without public support. RDC has acknowledged the challenges: night trains are costly, and the service competes with other operators and airlines on every segment of the journey.
The only year-round operator
SJ withdraws from operations on 31 August 2026. From 1 September, RDC runs the service under its own brand. Snälltåget continues to operate seasonally on the same corridor, but without sleeper cars — leaving RDC as the only year-round operator offering a full sleeping product between Germany and Sweden.
Whether a private operator can sustain near-daily frequency on a 1,500 km cross-border night train without subsidy is the test this handover sets in motion.