European Sleeper experience

[riceuten]

I am on the European Sleeper to Prague right now. So far it isn't a total disaster but there is an issue. My comfort plus carriage 18 now appears on their website train formation page as classic class. Sure, the cabin has the mattress toppers, but... The air conditioning is completely non-functional (without power), and it is a 30 degree day. The website also now shows a comfort standard carriage (numbered 14). They have just made an announcement that passengers can upgrade to comfort standard at a fee if they contact staff. This was a fully booked train. So they seem to have left the customers who payed for standard comfort to swelter in a broken carriage while selling upgrades to other customers for the functioning carriage. I am pretty non-plussed at present.

I’d like to say I’m surprised, but that’s a lie

 

[doc7austin]

The air conditioning is completely non-functional (without power),

This is the standard case for ES. The A/C has never worked for me, even if the website advertised the cars being air-conditioned.
But usually you can just open the windows to get relief from the heat.

I'd forward any claims to the enforcement body. The legal limit is 1 month.

The German enforcement body EBA (Eisenbahnbundesamt) won't lift a finger.

 

[BRX]

They seem to be managing to find plenty of people willing to lend to them...

This from an email today

We reached our initial target of €2 million in under 18 hours. Because of the demand, we extended the round. That extension has now brought us to €2.75 million, and we are raising the maximum to €3.5 million to bring even more of our community on board.

 

[popeter45]

I am on the European Sleeper to Prague right now. So far it isn't a total disaster but there is an issue. My comfort plus carriage 18 now appears on their website train formation page as classic class. Sure, the cabin has the mattress toppers, but... The air conditioning is completely non-functional (without power), and it is a 30 degree day. The website also now shows a comfort standard carriage (numbered 14). They have just made an announcement that passengers can upgrade to comfort standard at a fee if they contact staff. This was a fully booked train. So they seem to have left the customers who payed for standard comfort to swelter in a broken carriage while selling upgrades to other customers for the functioning carriage. I am pretty non-plussed at present.

have you asked to be re-upgraded as they now have what you ordered?

 

[MattSGB]

have you asked to be re-upgraded as they now have what you ordered?

I did complain and they said they would look at it. We slept with the window open, but it seems this morning that the air conditioning does again have power. Either they fixed it or perhaps this is one of those carriages that only likes German power supply.
Several toilets are broken this morning, but it looks to be caused by people trying to flush wads of hand towels

 

[StephenHunter]

I did complain and they said they would look at it. We slept with the window open, but it seems this morning that the air conditioning does again have power. Either they fixed it or perhaps this is one of those carriages that only likes German power supply.
Several toilets are broken this morning, but it looks to be caused by people trying to flush wads of hand towels

I had a similar hotel power failure on Nightjet in 2021. They turned the loco off and on again. It was a Vectron too!

 

[rvdborgt]

I do wonder if you buy the tickets in the UK, do UK laws apply to compensation, or Belgian/French/German?

Fortunately, there aren't any big differences, since EU Regulation 1371/2007 was converted into UK law; in the EU it's been replaced by Regulation 2021/782, but there are no big changes in compensation and assistance to passengers.
Where you buy tickets may not be very relevant, as opposed to where delays and incidents occur.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 May 2026 ==

The German enforcement body EBA (Eisenbahnbundesamt) won't lift a finger.

The national enforcement bodies can be very different indeed. The Dutch one was created rather powerless, for example.
The EBA did do a few things in the first few years after Regulation 1371/2007 came into force, but I guess they slacked off?

 

[doc7austin]

The EBA in Germany is simply ignoring passenger rights complaints.

 

[riceuten]

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g188616-d28122129-Reviews-European_Sleeper-Utrecht.html

 

[Jealgu]

That is 0.2 higher than OBB

And do not ask about DB...

 

[Waterlooville]

Not surprised to see the reviews!

 

[mad_rich]

To be honest, I think that reflects worse on the Tripadvisor model than it does on European Sleeper.

ES has its problems, but 2.1 out of 5 is meaningless. It doesn't deserve that score any more than some average restaurant or bar deserves 4.9, just because it lobbied or paid for positive reviews.

I'd guess an overnight train isn't a normal thing to review, and thus the terrible experiences shine through more than a hotel.

 

[popeter45]

To be honest, I think that reflects worse on the Tripadvisor model than it does on European Sleeper.

ES has its problems, but 2.1 out of 5 is meaningless. It doesn't deserve that score any more than some average restaurant or bar deserves 4.9, just because it lobbied or paid for positive reviews.

I'd guess an overnight train isn't a normal thing to review, and thus the terrible experiences shine through more than a hotel.

yea selection bias, only people who will post reviews will be the ones who had negative experiences

 

[StephenHunter]

Not me. I post positive ones too.

 

[riceuten]

yea selection bias, only people who will post reviews will be the ones who had negative experiences

This is true, and when I read reviews of hotels/restaurants, I'm looking for common themes rather than "they didn't provide a little table for my wife's handbag" or "they didn't sprinkle rose petals on the sheets and twist the towels into swan shapes".

But the negative reviews all have a common theme with ES - that they are a ramshackle, amateurish operation run on the smallest amount of resources possible.

 

[Jealgu]

You choose to keep ignoring that European Sleeper has better reviews than the average European railway company?

 

[StephenHunter]

You choose to keep ignoring that European Sleeper has better reviews than the average European railway company?

In fairness, they are trying to get new carriages.

 

[railfan99]

yea selection bias, only people who will post reviews will be the ones who had negative experiences

Untrue for TripAdvisor. There are millions of positive reviews across hotels, restaurants and attractions.

The category with the most negative reviews is airlines.

 

[Krokodil]

Untrue for TripAdvisor. There are millions of positive reviews across hotels, restaurants and attractions.

The category with the most negative reviews is airlines.

So European Sleeper do at least beat Wizz Air then.

 

[Jealgu]

And 'at least' SBB, OBB, Renfe, Trenitalia, NS, Italo, DB and Flixtrain.

 

[StephenHunter]

So European Sleeper do at least beat Wizz Air then.

Ironically, I flew Wizz Air out to Prague on the same trip that I got European Sleeper back. My flight from Luton got cancelled just after I'd dropped my suitcase and they were going to put us up in hotels, but I was able to get myself on a later flight from Gatwick, resulting in a further train cost and getting to my hotel in Karlovy Vary too late for any hot food. There weren't any producers for me to punch even I was that way inclined...

They paid for my train ticket, but declined compensation because it was "due to an extraordinary circumstances that cannot be revealed" after claiming it was a bird strike/lightning strike/foreign object damage. I contacted the Aviation ADR people:

https://www.aviationadr.eu/

If an airline or airport grievance remains unsettled, AviationADR is equipped to provide the crucial support you require to navigate through the resolution process effectively.

WizzAir claimed it was a bird strike that stopped the inbound flight, but failed to provide any evidence and indeed put another aircraft on that flight. AviationADR ruled in my favour and I got £220 in compensation.

That took four months to resolve. European Sleeper took about three weeks less.

 

[danshrimp]

The other day I got thinking - apropos of this shot of the two trains having a rare meetup - about whether there's a world in which the Berlin-Stockholm EuroNight falls into European Sleeper's hands. My thinking was: at the end of July SJ are pulling out and RDC are going it alone, but RDC don't have a lot of experience or international profile as a public-facing train operator, and ES already run trains using RDC stock and staff, so it would be a natural continuation of the current arrangement. Add to this that ES have been talking about expanding to a Brussels/Amsterdam-Stockholm route eventually, so Stockholm is in their sights - in fact, RDC said they would probably reduce the frequency of the Berlin-Stockholm route when they take over, which might free up stock to either add to existing ES routes or to run to Stockholm from Brussels/Amsterdam instead on some days of the week, fulfilling everyone's ambitions.

However, almost as if they heard me starting to speculate, today RDC have revealed a website and a booking tool for their new EN Berlin-Stockholm in which they do in fact appear to be going it alone. 3x/week with only 2x to Berlin, 1x only going as far as Hamburg. So I guess that's that. Perhaps ES aren't ready for it yet but in time they'll integrate - either way it looks like some RDC stock will be released.

In other European Sleeper-relevant news:

ES will revised their Milan service from the December timetable chang to call at Aarau rather than Zürich to avoid the need to reverse at the latter, which of course many people spotted would be a problem immediately. They'll also add stops at Breda and Eindhoven which they feel will help them cover the Netherlands without having to split/merge the train to serve Amsterdam, which was originally their aspiration.

European Sleeper adds Breda and Eindhoven to new Milan night train from December 2026

European Sleeper will expand its new Brussels–Cologne–Switzerland–Milan night train with additional stops in Antwerp, Breda and Eindhoven from the European timetable change in mid December 2026. The update means that travellers from the Netherlands will gain a direct night train connection to Italy for the first time in many years, without needing to change trains. The new route builds further on European Sleeper’s previously announced Milan connection, which is scheduled to launch on 9 September 2026 between Brussels, Cologne, Switzerland and Milan. From 14 December 2026 onwards, the service will be extended to include the Dutch cities of Breda and Eindhoven, creating a more direct and convenient overnight connection between the Netherlands, Switzerland and Italy.

Aarau instead of Zürich

In Switzerland, European Sleeper now expects the train to stop in Aarau rather than Zürich itself. Aarau offers convenient onward connections and is located around thirty minutes from Zürich by frequent Swiss domestic trains.

A stronger European north–south rail connection

The Brussels–Netherlands–Cologne-Switzerland– Milan route strengthens the growing European network of overnight rail services and creates a direct north–south rail corridor linking economic regions, cultural cities and holiday destinations. Travellers can comfortably board in the evening and wake up the next morning in Switzerland or northern Italy. European Sleeper sees strong demand for international night train travel, especially among travellers looking for a more comfortable, practical and lower-impact alternative to short-haul flights. Milan also offers onward high-speed rail connections towards Florence, Rome and other Italian destinations.

Chris Engelsman, co-founder of European Sleeper, commented: “We promised earlier that the Netherlands would regain a direct night train to Italy, and we are pleased that we can now confirm Breda and Eindhoven as part of the route from December 2026 onwards. This connection brings together major European regions overnight in a comfortable and practical way, while making international train travel accessible to more people.”

Days of operation and timetable

The start of the 2027 timetable change in mid-December 2026, also marks a change in the days of operation of the Brussels–Milan train. Until that date, southbound departures from are scheduled for Monday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings, and the return service from Milan will operate on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday nights. From Monday 14 December 2026, departures from Brussels, the Netherlands and Cologne are on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday evening, arriving the next morning in Switzerland, Como, and Milan. The northbound trains from Milan and Switzerland depart Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings, arriving in Cologne, the Netherlands, and Brussels on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in the morning.

Bookings open on 2 June 2026

Bookings for the Brussels–Netherlands–Cologne-Switzerland–Milan night train will open on 2 June 2026. Travellers will be able to book through the European Sleeper website and selected international sales partners. Tickets will be available for travel until 3 January 2027. The service offers the familiar European Sleeper travel classes. Fares in Budget, our comfortable seats, start from €29.99 per person one way. A couchette bed in a cosy Classic compartment is available from €49.99, including ticket, reservation, luggage and bed linen. Travellers seeking additional comfort can choose Comfort Standard from €99.99 or Comfort Plus from €129.99, which includes breakfast.

I also received an interesting email from them the other day, sampling interest among previous crowdfunders for larger rolling stock investments, in the €100k+ region. I suppose with demand for their crowdfunding currently very high, they figured it's worth asking...

Last week we opened our new bond loan campaign. Within 48 hours, we reached our initial goal of €2 million. Following the strong response, we increased the target to €3.5 million by making additional bonds available. Even this expanded target is now close to fully subscribed.

We are deeply grateful for the trust this community continues to place in European Sleeper. Your support helps us continue building and improving international night trains in Europe.

This momentum also allows us to explore larger next steps for the future of European Sleeper, including the possibility of acquiring night train carriages. As part of this, we would like to better understand whether there may be interest within our community for larger-scale investments.

Would you, or someone in your network, potentially be interested in a rolling stock investment opportunity in the range of €100,000 or more?

If so, we would appreciate it if you could fill in the short form in this link. This is entirely without obligation and simply helps us better understand the level of interest.

 

[rvdborgt]

ES's autumn timetable for Brussels-Milan includes a 4-minute stop at Zürich HB. Although you can reverse in that time if you want to, I doubt they'll do that, since you'd need a second locomotive.

 

[Watershed]

ES's autumn timetable for Brussels-Milan includes a 4-minute stop at Zürich HB. Although you can reverse in that time if you want to, I doubt they'll do that, since you'd need a second locomotive.

Couldn't they run through the low level platforms via Regensdorf and the Weinberg tunnel? That could be what they are planning.

 

[rvdborgt]

Couldn't they run through the low level platforms via Regensdorf and the Weinberg tunnel? That could be what they are planning.

They could. But the incline to get out is 3.7% or 3.5%, depending on the direction. I'm not sure if they're prepared for that. Does anyone know how long their Milan train will be and what locomotive they plan on using in Switzerland?

 

[Jealgu]

As for European Sleeper taking over Stockhol Berlin, something that popped my mind. It would open the possibilty of alternating Amsterdam and Berlin, ensuring a daily connection to/from the rest of Europe while servicing different markets. It would at least be good if ES would sell tickets. I cannot open the booking service of RDC, bit I think I read on the Swedish forum it would be daily in high season.

As for the Milan connection, might be a smart move to forego splitting trains. Though you will miss some market share with committing Amsterdam.

Another thing I noted while browsing vagonweb, it appears mav is going to use WLABEE coaches of GFF, the stainless steel ones, on the Adria (I.e. the seasonal split service). This might explain why ES currently uses AB33 on their Prague train.

 

[Tayway]

Booked on Berlin to Brussels tonight, cancelled about five hours before departure due to damage to the train – thankfully I'm on an interrail pass so cost of tickets isn't a problem, but I am now £180 out of pocket for a hotel room in Cologne. Is there any way of claiming this back from them – their webchat person said no.

 

[riceuten]

Booked on Berlin to Brussels tonight, cancelled about five hours before departure due to damage to the train – thankfully I'm on an interrail pass so cost of tickets isn't a problem, but I am now £180 out of pocket for a hotel room in Cologne. Is there any way of claiming this back from them – their webchat person said no.

Often railway companies foreswear "consequential loss" and so presume fare refunds are appropriate.

 

[mad_rich]

Booked on Berlin to Brussels tonight, cancelled about five hours before departure due to damage to the train – thankfully I'm on an interrail pass so cost of tickets isn't a problem, but I am now £180 out of pocket for a hotel room in Cologne. Is there any way of claiming this back from them – their webchat person said no.

Web chat says a lot of interesting things, which aren't all necessarily true or in your best interest!

They must sort you out with alternative transport + accommodation until they can transport you. But if you've chosen to 'self-rescue' by taking the train and Cologne, their liability ends.

Were you informed of your rights when they cancelled the train? If not, you might have a decent chance (claiming that you would have taken them up on the offer of a hotel + alternative travel, had you known that was an option) but it will take some effort.

EU Passenger rights: https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/passenger-rights/rail/index_en.htm#cancelled

 

[Tayway]

Web chat says a lot of interesting things, which aren't all necessarily true or in your best interest!

They must sort you out with alternative transport + accommodation until they can transport you. But if you've chosen to 'self-rescue' by taking the train and Cologne, their liability ends.

Were you informed of your rights when they cancelled the train? If not, you might have a decent chance (claiming that you would have taken them up on the offer of a hotel + alternative travel, had you known that was an option) but it will take some effort.

EU Passenger rights: https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/passenger-rights/rail/index_en.htm#cancelled

Nope, just an email with the following:

Option 1)

You can cancel your booking and receive your money back.

Option 2)

You can rebook your European Sleeper trip to another date, at no additional costs.

Option 3)

You can arrange your own alternative transport under reasonable travel conditions. For example via Omio. We do not accept first class train tickets. (Flight) Tickets that cost a multiple of the European Sleeper ticket price are also not accepted. Please send a copy of the receipts to our customer service team, and we will reimburse them.

Option 1 and 2 not feasible as I need to be in Brussels tomorrow. Option 1 is the default which they say will occur if you don't pick. I will try my luck with their customer service when I get back from my trip but not getting my hopes up - thanks for the advice.