Sweden ends Stockholm-Berlin night train subsidy after four-year trial
Swedish state operator SJ will terminate its daily Stockholm-Berlin EuroNight service on 31 August 2026. The government declined to renew subsidies in its draft budget proposal.
The service has operated since September 2022 with support from Trafikverket under a contract ending 31 July 2026. SJ will run the route for one additional month before closure.
“The agreement with Trafikverket runs until 31 July next year. We will operate for one more month, but then it ends,” SJ commercial director Christer Litzell told Järnvägar.nu.
Commercial operators consider takeover
RDC Deutschland, SJ’s German partner on the route, has confirmed plans to continue operations from September 2026 on a fully commercial basis. The company aims to maintain at least 50 percent of current capacity using its own rolling stock.
Private operator Snälltåget, which already runs Stockholm-Berlin services approximately 190 days per year, said it is exploring options to expand frequency and potentially acquire sleeping cars.
The service faces structural challenges including three-year approval delays for Danish operations and approximately 20 annual cancellations due to planned track maintenance. SJ has stated the route was “definitely not profitable” even with subsidy support.
Why it matters: The cancellation removes the only daily year-round connection between the two EU capitals, following ÖBB’s Paris Nightjet which closes in December 2025 after French subsidy withdrawal.
What’s next: RDC plans to launch reduced-frequency commercial operations from autumn 2026, while Snälltåget is evaluating expansion from its current 190-day schedule to over 200 days per year.