A new night train linking Brussels with Milan will no longer launch in June as planned.
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The route operated by European Sleeper will now take to the rails in September, instead.
The company said track works in Germany during summer 2026 and the certification process for Switzerland – a new country for its networks – had caused the delay.
The new European sleeper route was due to start running on 18 June; it will now start operating on 9 September.
"Although the first departure comes a few months later than originally planned, the new connection marks an important milestone," the company said in a press release.
It will create “an important north-south connection at the European level” which “serves both leisure and business travellers, linking major economic and cultural regions overnight”.
The train will link Brussels with Cologne, Zürich and Milan.
Later, a direct connection to and from the Netherlands will also be added. This is slated for 2027, as “starting a separate train section to and from Amsterdam is less viable during the off-peak season”, the company said.
This will be European Sleeper's third route. It already operates a service between Brussels and Prague, and a new connection between Paris and Berlin is launching later this month.
When will the new route run?
The European Sleeper is scheduled to depart from Brussels on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings, arriving in Zürich and Milan the following morning.
The return service from Milan will operate on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday nights.
There are some modifications to the originally planned route.
In Switzerland, the train will run via Zürich and the Gotthard Pass for the time being, instead of via the Simplon Pass, which is unfeasible due to track works scheduled through 2027.
“Luckily, the revised route via the Gotthard Pass also brings new opportunities,” the company said.
“A stop in Göschenen provides convenient access to nearby ski resorts, while Lugano and Como offer easy connections to the well-known lakes and surrounding mountain landscapes.”
How much will it cost?
Ticket sales for the new route start on 17 March 2026, offering the usual European Sleeper travel classes: Budget, Classic, Comfort Standard and Comfort Plus.
Seats in Budget start from €29.99 per person one way. A couchette bed in a Classic compartment is available from €49.99, including ticket, reservation, luggage and bed linen.
Travellers can choose Comfort Standard from €99.99 or Comfort Plus from €129.99, which includes breakfast.