Short answer: the new Basel to Malmö night train (EuroNight EN 472/473) has run three times a week since 15 April 2026, operated by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) with RDC Germany. It leaves Basel SBB at 17:35 on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and reaches Copenhagen and Malmö the next morning — the first direct sleeper linking Switzerland and Scandinavia, with seats from about €39.90 and sleeper berths from about €89.90.
For years, travelling by rail from Switzerland to Denmark or Sweden meant at least one daytime change in Germany. That gap on the map is now closed. On 15 April 2026, SBB and its partner RDC Germany launched a through EuroNight service that carries you from the Rhine to the Øresund while you sleep, adding Scandinavia to Switzerland's growing night-train network.
What the Basel to Malmö night train covers
The Basel to Malmö night train runs the full length of the corridor between Switzerland, Germany, Denmark and Sweden without a change of train. Branded EuroNight EN 472 northbound and EN 473 southbound, it is a joint effort between SBB and RDC Germany, the private operator already behind several long-distance overnight links in northern Europe.
Northbound, the train departs Basel SBB at 17:35 on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, arriving in Malmö Central at 09:35 the following morning. Southbound, it leaves Malmö at 18:57 on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays and pulls back into Basel SBB at 11:30. Between the two endpoints it stops at Freiburg (Breisgau), Karlsruhe, Mannheim, Frankfurt Süd, Hamburg, Padborg, Kolding, Odense, Høje Taastrup and Copenhagen Airport.
One quirk worth knowing before you book: for timetabling reasons the train does not call at Copenhagen Central. Instead you step off at Høje Taastrup or Copenhagen Airport, both roughly 15 minutes from the city centre on a frequent S-train. It is a small transfer, but a genuine one — factor it in if Copenhagen is your final stop.
Cabins, comfort and who runs it
Each train offers around 350 places split across seating, couchette and sleeper cars, so you can match the fare to your budget. There is an accessible compartment for wheelchair users and a bistro car running between Basel and Padborg for the evening leg of the journey.
The comfort ladder is familiar to anyone who has taken a modern European sleeper such as ÖBB's Nightjet — reclining seats at the bottom, shared couchettes in the middle, and private sleeper compartments with beds at the top. If you want a sense of how far onboard comfort has come, see our look at the new-generation Nightjet mini-cabins.
Fares and how to book
Tickets went on sale on 4 November 2025 and are available through SBB Mobile, sbb.ch and SBB travel centres. Indicative starting fares are:
- Seat: from about €39.90 (early-bird from CHF 59)
- Couchette: from about €59.90 (early-bird from CHF 139)
- Sleeper: from about €89.90 (flexible sleeper from CHF 229)
As always with European night trains, the cheapest berths sell first, so booking early is the single biggest lever on price. It is also worth checking the whole market before you commit: you can compare train, bus, carpool and flight options on Gopaxo for the same city pair on one screen, then decide whether the sleeper, a daytime high-speed train or a short flight suits your trip best. If you travel often, a rail discount card can shave more off the fare.
Why it matters — and one caveat
The Basel–Copenhagen–Malmö link fits a clear European trend: overnight trains are back, and the network keeps filling in missing connections. We traced that revival in our piece on the comeback of night trains, and this route is a textbook example — it turns a multi-leg daytime slog into a single evening departure and a morning arrival with the day still ahead of you.
There is one caveat travellers should keep on the radar. The service depends on Swiss federal night-train support under the country's CO₂ Act, where the government has earmarked around CHF 47 million through 2030. Those funds still require parliamentary approval, so the long-term future of the line is not yet guaranteed. For now, though, the train is running — and it is the fastest, lowest-effort way yet to travel from the heart of Switzerland to southern Scandinavia without flying.
Frequently asked questions
When did the Basel to Malmö night train start?
It launched on 15 April 2026 and runs three times a week in each direction, operated by SBB together with RDC Germany.
What days does it run?
Northbound it leaves Basel on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 17:35. Southbound it leaves Malmö on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 18:57, reaching Basel at 11:30.
Does the night train stop in Copenhagen?
Not at Copenhagen Central. It calls at Høje Taastrup and Copenhagen Airport, both about 15 minutes from the city centre by S-train.
How much does a ticket cost?
Starting fares are roughly €39.90 for a seat, €59.90 for a couchette and €89.90 for a sleeper berth. Early-bird prices in Swiss francs start at CHF 59 for a seat. Book early for the lowest fares.
How do I book?
Through SBB Mobile, sbb.ch or an SBB travel centre. Tickets have been on sale since 4 November 2025.
In summary
- The Basel to Malmö night train (EuroNight EN 472/473) has run three times a week since 15 April 2026, operated by SBB and RDC Germany.
- It departs Basel at 17:35 (Wed/Fri/Sun) and reaches Malmö at 09:35; southbound it leaves Malmö at 18:57 (Mon/Thu/Sat).
- Stops include Freiburg, Karlsruhe, Mannheim, Frankfurt Süd, Hamburg, Odense, Copenhagen Airport and Høje Taastrup — not Copenhagen Central.
- On board: around 350 places in seats, couchettes and sleepers, an accessible compartment and a bistro car (Basel–Padborg).
- Fares from about €39.90 (seat), €59.90 (couchette) and €89.90 (sleeper); book via SBB Mobile or sbb.ch.
- The line relies on Swiss CO₂ Act funding (≈ CHF 47 million through 2030) still awaiting full parliamentary approval.
