Short answer: the Paris–Berlin night train is running again, operated by European Sleeper since 26 March 2026. It departs Paris three evenings a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday) via Brussels, Liège and Aachen, reaching Berlin the next morning around 09:59. Fares start at €39.99 for a seat, €59.99 for a couchette bed, and from 13 July 2026 the train also calls at Hamburg.
For years the only way to sleep your way between the French and German capitals was memory: the historic Paris–Berlin sleeper disappeared, and travellers were left with daytime high-speed connections or a flight. That gap is now closed. Dutch-Belgian cooperative European Sleeper has put the Paris–Berlin night train back on the map, turning one of Europe's great city pairs into a single overnight hop.
The Paris–Berlin night train is back
The relaunch went live on 26 March 2026, and it is more than a nostalgia project. The route is built around modern connections: by running via Brussels rather than the old Strasbourg path, European Sleeper plugs the service straight into the Eurostar network, so passengers from London and the Low Countries can join the night train without a long detour.
The train runs three nights a week in each direction. Southbound-to-Berlin departures leave Paris on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings, while return workings leave Berlin on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. That cadence mirrors how European Sleeper already operates its flagship Brussels–Berlin–Prague route, keeping the rolling stock busy across the week.
Route, stops and timetable
The Paris–Berlin night train starts at Paris Nord and heads north-east through Belgium and western Germany before crossing the country to Berlin. The booked timetable has the train leaving Paris at 17:45, calling at Mons, then Brussels at 21:45, Liège-Guillemins at 23:12 and Aachen, before arriving into Berlin at 09:59 the following morning.
From 13 July 2026, European Sleeper adds Hamburg to the run, widening the map for travellers heading to or from northern Germany. The stops in summary:
- Paris Nord (departure 17:45)
- Mons
- Brussels (21:45)
- Liège-Guillemins (23:12)
- Aachen
- Hamburg (from 13 July 2026)
- Berlin (arrival 09:59)
An overnight schedule like this is the whole point of a sleeper: you board after work in one capital and step off ready for the day in another, with the journey folded into hours you would have spent asleep anyway.
Cabins and fares: from €39.99
European Sleeper sells three travel classes — Seats, Couchettes and Sleepers — so the Paris–Berlin night train works for both shoestring and comfort-first budgets. Indicative one-way fares at launch are:
- Seat — from €39.99
- Couchette bed (classic shared compartment) — from €59.99
- Comfort standard sleeper — from €99.99
- Comfort plus sleeper, breakfast included — from €129.99
Couchette compartments are shared and come with bedding; the Sleeper cabins are more private, bookable as single, double or triple, with a washbasin in the compartment. There is no restaurant car, so the advice from seasoned night- train travellers is simple: eat before you board or bring a picnic. Onboard, a menu of snacks and drinks — tea, coffee, soft drinks, wine, beer — can be ordered from staff or via a QR code in your compartment.
How it compares to flying or the day train
A flight between Paris and Berlin looks quick on paper, but the door-to-door reality includes two airport transfers, security and a night in a hotel at one end. The Paris–Berlin night train replaces all of that with one ticket: you trade a hotel night for a bed in motion and wake up in the city centre. It is the same logic driving Europe's wider sleeper revival, from ÖBB's Nightjet fleet to European Sleeper's own southern ambitions.
If you would rather travel by day, the alternative is a high-speed relay — for example an SNCF TGV or Eurostar to Brussels, then a Deutsche Bahn ICE onward — which is faster in pure travel time but eats a full daytime slot. The night train gives that day back. To weigh up every option side by side, you can compare routes on Gopaxo and see trains, buses, carpooling and flights in a single search.
Why it matters for travellers
The return of the Paris–Berlin night train is another piece clicking into place on Europe's overnight map. It pairs naturally with European Sleeper's new Brussels–Milan night train and fits the broader comeback of night trains that has reshaped how people cross the continent. Routed through Brussels, it is also a building block for longer car-free itineraries: London to Berlin, or Paris to Hamburg, in one continuous rail journey.
For value-minded travellers, the same booking habits that work on any sleeper apply here — and you can find more of them in our guide to travelling cheaper by train.
How to get the best fare
- Book early. The cheapest seat and couchette buckets sell first; fares climb as departure nears.
- Be flexible on the night. With only three departures a week per direction, shifting by a day can unlock a lower price.
- Match the cabin to the trip. A €39.99 seat is fine for a short night; pay up for a Sleeper if you need real rest before a morning meeting.
- Count the whole journey. Against a flight, factor in airport transfers, baggage fees and a saved hotel night — the sleeper often wins on total cost.
- Connect via Brussels. Eurostar links from London and beyond meet the night train cleanly, so check through-routings rather than booking each leg blind.
Quick recap
- The Paris–Berlin night train relaunched with European Sleeper on 26 March 2026, three nights a week each way.
- It runs Paris Nord → Mons → Brussels → Liège-Guillemins → Aachen → Berlin, with Hamburg added from 13 July 2026.
- Booked times: Paris 17:45, Brussels 21:45, Liège 23:12, arriving Berlin 09:59.
- Fares start at €39.99 (seat), €59.99 (couchette), €99.99 (comfort standard) and €129.99 (comfort plus with breakfast).
- There is no restaurant car; bring food or order snacks and drinks onboard.
Frequently asked questions
When did the Paris–Berlin night train start running again?
European Sleeper launched the revived Paris–Berlin night train on 26 March 2026, restoring a direct overnight link between the two capitals.
Which cities does the train stop at?
It calls at Paris Nord, Mons, Brussels, Liège-Guillemins and Aachen before Berlin, and adds Hamburg from 13 July 2026.
How long does the Paris to Berlin night train take?
The booked schedule has the train leaving Paris at 17:45 and arriving in Berlin at 09:59 the next morning — an overnight journey of roughly 16 hours, by design, so you sleep through most of it.
How much does a ticket cost?
One-way fares start at €39.99 for a seat, €59.99 for a couchette bed, €99.99 for a comfort-standard sleeper and €129.99 for comfort plus with breakfast included.
Is there a restaurant car on board?
No. There is no restaurant car, but a menu of snacks and drinks — including tea, coffee, soft drinks, wine and beer — can be ordered from staff or via a QR code in your compartment.
How many nights a week does it run?
The train runs three nights a week in each direction: from Paris on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, and from Berlin on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Ready to cross Europe while you sleep? Compare the Paris–Berlin route on Gopaxo and see how the night train stacks up against day trains, buses and flights, or browse more frequently asked questions before you book.
