European Sleeper: The Complete Guide

European Sleeper is a Dutch cooperative that operates international night trains in Western and Central Europe. Starting with a single long-distance connection between Brussels and Prague, the company has since announced two more routes, making it one of the fastest-expanding night train operators on the continent. This guide covers all current and confirmed future routes, the on-board cabin categories, and everything you need to know about booking.

Table of Contents

• All routes
• Comfort and service on board
• All about booking – jump to our guide

Routes

As of early 2026, European Sleeper operates one established route and has announced two more routes for a later start in 2026. All services run two to three times a week in each direction.

Brussels – Amsterdam – Berlin – Dresden – Prague (ES 452/453)

This is European Sleeper's founding route and the only one currently in operation. The ES 453 train runs from Brussels to Prague via Amsterdam, Berlin, and Dresden; the return service is the ES 452. The journey takes over 16 hours. The train runs two to three times a week in each direction.

Since ÖBB discontinued its Nightjet NJ 424/425 between Brussels and Berlin at the end of March 2025, European Sleeper is the only night train option between these two cities.

• Brussels to Prague
  ES 453
• Amsterdam to Prague
  ES 453
• Brussels to Berlin
  ES 453
• Amsterdam to Berlin
  ES 453
• Prague to Brussels
  ES 452
• Prague to Amsterdam
  ES 452
• Berlin to Brussels
  ES 452
• Berlin to Amsterdam
  ES 452

Paris – Brussels – Hamburg – Berlin (ES 474/475)

After ÖBB discontinued the Nightjet Paris–Berlin, European Sleeper is stepping in to fill the gap. The service is scheduled to launch on 26 March 2026. Brussels will be served as an intermediate stop. From 12/13 July 2026, Hamburg will be added as an additional stop.

Departures from Paris are scheduled for Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings, arriving in Berlin the next morning. The return journeys from Berlin will take place on the nights of Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Combined with the existing Brussels–Prague service (ES 452/453) on the other days, it will be possible to travel overnight between Brussels and Berlin a total of six nights a week.

Tickets have been on sale since 16 December 2025.

• Paris to Berlin
  ES 475
• Brussels to Berlin
  ES 475
• Paris to Hamburg
  ES 475 (from 12 July 2026)
• Brussels to Hamburg
  ES 475 (from 12 July 2026)
• Berlin to Paris
  ES 474
• Berlin to Brussels
  ES 474
• Hamburg to Paris
  ES 474 (from 13 July 2026)
• Hamburg to Brussels
  ES 474 (from 13 July 2026)

Brussels – Cologne – Zurich – Milan (from September 2026)

European Sleeper has announced a second new route connecting Brussels and Amsterdam with Switzerland and Milan. The first departure is scheduled for 9 September 2026. The route will run via Cologne, then south through Zurich, Göschenen (Gotthard line), and Lugano, before crossing the border into Italy at Chiasso and ending in Milan.

Departures from Brussels are scheduled for Monday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings. The return journeys from Milan will take place on the nights of Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.

• Brussels to Milan
  ES 400
• Aachen to Milan
  ES 400
• Cologne to Milan
  ES 400
• Brussels to Zurich
  ES 400
• Milan to Brussels
  ES 401
• Milan to Aachen
  ES 401
• Milan to Cologne
  ES 401
• Zurich to Brussels
  ES 401

Ticket sales began on 17 March 2026.

You can find all the other details here in our overview.

Comfort on board

European Sleeper trains offer three cabin categories: sleeping car, couchette car, and seating car. The following information applies to the existing Brussels–Prague route and is expected to be adopted for the new routes as well.

Sleeping car (Comfort Plus)

Sleeper cabins are marketed under the name Comfort Plus and are available for single, double, and triple occupancy. Each compartment is lockable and has a washbasin. Shared toilets are located in the corridor; there is no private shower or toilet.

Included: made-up bed with a duvet, pillow, towel, travel kit, mineral water, welcome drink, and breakfast. Wake-up service on request.

• Single – private 1-person compartment
• Double – 2-person compartment; bookable as a shared or private compartment
• Triple – 3-person compartment; bookable as a shared compartment, private compartment, or a women-only compartment

Couchette car

European Sleeper offers two types of couchette cars.

Classic couchette

The standard couchette car is the Classic category with 5-person compartments. The compartment is air-conditioned. Shared toilets and washrooms are located in the corridor.

Included: blanket and bed linen, mineral water. Breakfast is optional. Wake-up service on request.

The compartments are shared by default but can also be booked as a private compartment or as a women-only compartment.

Comfort Standard couchette

The Comfort Standard couchette cars accommodate up to three people and are equipped with a proper mattress on the bunk. Available for single, double, and triple occupancy. Private and shared bookings are possible.

Included: blanket and bed linen, mineral water. Breakfast is optional. Wake-up service on request.

• Single – private 1-person couchette with mattress
• Double – 2-person couchette with mattress; shared or private
• Triple – 3-person couchette with mattress; shared or private

Seating car

The most affordable option is a seat in the Budget category (2nd class). The seats are in 4- or 6-person compartments. The seat reservation is included in the price. Breakfast can be added as an optional extra. Snacks and refreshments can be purchased from the train staff.

Catering

There is (currently) no dining car. Snacks and drinks can be purchased from the train staff. Breakfast is included in the price for the sleeping car and is available as an optional add-on for travellers in the couchette and seating cars.

Tickets & Prices

Tickets can be booked on the European Sleeper website or via our price comparison search engine:

Compare all offers and prices here

European Sleeper also regularly publishes last-minute deals that are not listed in the main search results – it's worth checking for these separately on their website.

Price ranges

The following price ranges apply to the Brussels–Prague route and serve as a guide for the Paris–Berlin route (European Sleeper has indicated that prices for Paris–Berlin will be comparable to the former Nightjet fares):

• Seating car: €40–60
• Couchette car: €80–160
• Sleeping car: from €150

The following guide prices apply to the upcoming Brussels–Milan route:

• Seating car: from €30
• Couchette car: approx. €50–100
• Sleeping car: from €130

Fare categories

European Sleeper uses three fare categories:

Easy Night (Reduced)

Good Night (Semi-flexible)

Flex Night (Flexible)

How to book

Booking a ticket with European Sleeper involves several steps, but don't worry – you'll get the hang of it. Once you've found the best deal on nightride.com and have been redirected, you'll need to (somewhat counter-intuitively) "change search criteria", so click on this purple button. Then you'll need to confirm the details that were carried over from your search on nightride.com.

In the next window, you need to make sure again that the correct date is selected. Then scroll all the way down and click on "Select travel class". In the next window, you first have to choose between seating car (Budget), 5-person couchette (Classic), or 3-person couchette/sleeper (Comfort). See our overview above.

Once you've selected the category, the view will scroll to a detailed overview with various options. Select your desired option and then scroll all the way to the bottom, where you click on "Check journey".

In the final window, you can select your fare category and book extras, such as breakfast (if not already included with your compartment). Scroll down to the bottom again and select "Passenger details". Enter these in the next window, scroll all the way down, and click on "Check tickets".

Take a final look at your order (and check that all travellers are in the same compartment or seated next to each other, which you can see from the coach layout), then you can pay with your preferred payment method. You will receive your tickets by email.

Interrail / Eurail

European Sleeper accepts Interrail and Eurail passes. A separate reservation is required in addition to the pass. Book via europeansleeper.eu/interrail by selecting "Reservation only" for the passengers. Your pass must be valid on both the departure and arrival dates.

Reservation fees by cabin category:

The fees vary depending on the travel distance. For private compartments, each traveller needs their own pass.