New night train start-up - Nox

[Robski]

A youtuber, Simply Railway, is starting their own european night train company. According to them they already have coaches "reserved" for this and their photo renders show a very heavy refurbishment which no doubt won't be cheap and that's if they even find the capital for it. Very ambitious route network as well, looks like they want to compete head-on with Nightjet and European Sleeper.

Press release:

Berlin Start-Up Nox to launch night trains with entirely private rooms from 2027​

A new player is entering the European mobility space. Nox, a Berlin-based startup is on a mission to offer a real alternative to short-haul flights. From 2027, Nox plans to operate Europe-wide overnight trains with fully personal rooms for one or two people at the price of a flight.

“Sleeping while a train gets you across Europe is a great concept. But today people have to share their cabins with strangers, beds are tight, and it's often more expensive than air travel. We want to change that and make night trains an essential part of European travel,” says Thibault Constant, Co-Founder of Nox. On YouTube and Instagram, he is known as “Simply Railway”, with over half a million followers and over 400 night train trips worldwide under his belt.

His experience influenced Nox a lot: All three room types will have 2 Meter long beds, separate seats with tables, enough space to stand up and store your luggage. Nox also plans to offer double beds and beds with panoramic window views.

“Our room design allows us to fit more people into our trains than traditional operators can. This, paired with a strict focus on standardisation and operational excellence will allow us to offer affordable fares on over 35 European routes”, says the founder Janek Smalla who has co-launched FlixTrain, and until 2024 led the German ridesharing market for Bolt.

The company has already reserved train coaches, is finalising the approval of its interior design and is now preparing the next large financing round for autumn.

Interested passengers can already explore planned timetables, detailed views of the rooms and prices on noxmobility.com. Users can also join the free Nox “Early Bird Club” to stay updated, enjoy discounted rates, and gain early-access to bookings.

 

[Iskra]

Well it sounds good, and I sincerely wish them all the best as a rail enthusiast and a user of European sleeper trains. However, it’s a very ambitious project to put your (brand) name towards if you don’t have it fully funded already. This could end up like Global Airways of the railways.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It sounds like they are having private single bed compartments by alternating upper and lower - something I have long thought a good idea.

 

[Devonian]

It sounds like they are having private single bed compartments by alternating upper and lower - something I have long thought a good idea.

It looks to me like the twin 'vista' rooms (akin to the US roomettes) sit below and across the corridor from either one double 'loft' or two single 'loft' compartments, with the loft beds stretching right across the carriage over the corridor and vista room ceilings. Rather cunning if so. An interesting absence of en-suite facilities and focus on private sleeping rooms, of which I approve.

 

[nwales58]

Is this SleeperSim or Global Sleeperlines?

NOx is something we are trying to reduce, in cities at least.

 

[popeter45]

seems a decent idea with actual logic in its choices

lets see how it goes

 

[Iskra]

I’ve just seen this proposed route map, it is very ambitious. Presumably they will build it up over a number of years.



Personally, I’ll be particularly interested to see where the Reggio Calabria service originates. I’m also a potential customer for the Bari/Lecce route too.

 

[SeanG]

I enjoy his videos but honestly can't see this happening although I wish him all the best

 

[StephenHunter]

It sounds like they are having private single bed compartments by alternating upper and lower - something I have long thought a good idea.

CIWL did that with the Type P back in the 1950s. Many were converted into the more conventional AB30 in the 1990s and are still around; European Sleeper has three.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jun 2025 ==

NOx is something we are trying to reduce, in cities at least.

Well, the Nox did revive SG-1 after they got killed.

 

[Connacht]

Nox is Latin for night?

 

[Ringo2112]

A You Tuber is starting it. Where is all the funding coming from?

 

[Amalie]

I wish them the best, although I also remain a bit skeptical. I do want to add the following point however. Simply Railway may be “just a YouTuber,” but he’s no stranger to the railway industry. He’s previously worked for Alstom before having committed to being a full-time YouTuber.

 

[TheGrew]

His business partner also has quite a lot of transport experience as per the video.

 

[doc7austin]

Thibault, I'm really happy for you starting your new business. I wish you all the success. Best, doc7austin !

 

[akm]

Nox is Latin for night?

And also the Roman deity of the night, though not of sleep (Somnus) or of dreams (Morpheus)

 

[Backroom_boy]

Does almost seem to be a bubble of sleeper start ups!

 

[StephenHunter]

Does almost seem to be a bubble of sleeper start ups!

We already had Midnight Trains come and go without ever running a service.

 

[popeter45]

We already had Midnight Trains come and go without ever running a service.

Midnight Trains fault was trying to do the most difficult option possible, Orient express level service (they had a blog post discussing if their trains should have 1 or 2 dining cars) while using one of the most complex routes you could think of
Nox seems to be following what European sleeper and flixtrain proved, A to B no frills but also not ryanair

 

[nwales58]

Key things in any transport startup: professional expertise, credible business plan (plausible demand, cost estimates, plan to get as far as operations that is credible to pros, trajectory to break-even etc etc), capital funding.

European Sleeper raised at least Eur 2.5m just to run one route every other day. Nox needs a few times that to start. I wouldn’t be surprised if a posdibly profitable 50-75% of the full network burnt through 100m or more before any chance of breaking even.

Today’s noxmobility web site is only aimed at the customer. I can’t find anything aimed at investors yet. That really really does surprise me.

I see this as a first attempt to get some idea of demand, for ehich they needed the mockup cabins.

After this they need to raise some money to develop business plans, probably in stages, before anyone will invest in this.

European Sleeper (and I genuinely respect their coop approach) have shown the limits of crowdfunding. Nox need far more and the decade of cheap money is behind us.

I look forward to seeing what comes out of them next. Until there are cost and revenue profiles to get your teeth into, or a committed deep-pocketed backer, it’s very premature.

 

[popeter45]

Key things in any transport startup: professional expertise, credible business plan (plausible demand, cost estimates, plan to get as far as operations that is credible to pros, trajectory to break-even etc etc), capital funding.

European Sleeper raised at least Eur 2.5m just to run one route every other day. Nox needs a few times that to start. I wouldn’t be surprised if a posdibly profitable 50-75% of the full network burnt through 100m or more before any chance of breaking even.

Today’s noxmobility web site is only aimed at the customer. I can’t find anything aimed at investors yet. That really really does surprise me.

I see this as a first attempt to get some idea of demand, for ehich they needed the mockup cabins.

After this they need to raise some money to develop business plans, probably in stages, before anyone will invest in this.

European Sleeper (and I genuinely respect their coop approach) have shown the limits of crowdfunding. Nox need far more and the decade of cheap money is behind us.

I look forward to seeing what comes out of them next. Until there are cost and revenue profiles to get your teeth into, or a committed deep-pocketed backer, it’s very premature.

thinking about this and makes me wonder if they are not crowdfunding because they already have investment?, already said they have coaches on order so must have money already

the fact one of the founder is from flixtrain and flixtrain are likely to be wanting rid of coaches in the stated timeframe once their talgo order arrives makes me wonder if flixbus could be bankrolling this?

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

FlixTrain's current rolling stock is leased, so what happens to it when the Talgos arrive will be somebody else's problem.

FlixTrain does not usually own the rolling stock that it operates. Instead, the company decided to lease these assets from other companies. Early FlixTrain rolling stock was sourced from the BahnTouristikExpress [de] (BTE); this business relationship came to an end in early 2020.[4] Another provider of rolling stock to the company has been Talbot Services, based in Aachen. FlixTrain has reportedly arranged for its trains to be powered exclusively by green electricity.[11]

FlixTrain has primarily opted for rakes of refurbished locomotive-hauled UIC-standard passenger coaches hauled by 3rd generation Siemens EuroSprinter and Siemens Vectron locomotives.[29] During 2020, FlixTrain entered into a co-operative agreement with the European railway leasing company Railpool; according to the two companies, all of the leased coaches are equipped with new seats and have amenities such as modernized toilets, power sockets at each seat, Wi-Fi technology, and onboard entertainment systems.[29]

FlixTrain - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[43096]

FlixTrain's current rolling stock is leased, so what happens to it when the Talgos arrive will be somebody else's problem.

FlixTrain - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Given the age of Flix's stock - notwithstanding the overhauls done - I would bet that by the time it comes off lease from Flix, Railpool will have made their money back and a decent profit. They are not going to be recovering the cost over 15 years or more!

 

[danshrimp]

Sounds like they might already have the capital in place to build (at least an initial batch of) the trains, perhaps helped by refurbing old seated coaches to keep costs down. What's definitely unclear is whether they have the capital in place to actually run them.

Is there perhaps a world in which they're fine with not doing so, and instead simply profiting on their concept and renting these out to the likes of European Sleeper? Of course if this drives enough momentum to actually get their own route/network up and running, all the better.

 

[LUYMun]

At Innotrans today, NOX Mobility announced that it will be launching night services from 23 March 2027 between Hamburg and Munich three times per week before expanding to daily, with times aimed at business travellers so as to arrive at a reasonable time in the morning. Prices start from €65 one way. Stock is refurbished Intercity coaching stock (by the looks of it ex-DB) with a few different classes to offer: Double Loft and Single Loft, with Nox Suite and Double Vista to come later. Loco to haul not yet known will provided by TRI Train Rentals GmbH. Railway News reporting on it already as is themaninseat61 who's at Innotrans.

Nox Mobility Launches New Hamburg–Munich Night Train Service

At InnoTrans 2026, Nox Mobility unveiled its new night train and opened bookings for a service between Hamburg and Munich from March 2027.

railway-news.com

Nox Mobility Launches New Hamburg–Munich Night Train Service​

​

At InnoTrans 2026, Nox Mobility unveiled its new night train coach and opened bookings for a new service between Hamburg and Munich, set to commence in March 2027.

The new service will initially run three times a week in each direction, with timings coordinated around business travel requirements.
The train will leave Hamburg at 21.22 and Breman at 22.30 before arriving in Augsburg at 07.35 and Munich at 08.14.

In the opposite direction, it will depart Munich at 21.20, Augsburg at 21.51 and arrive in Breman at 07.20 and Hamburg at 08.27.

Nox Mobility has designed the service around passengers who want to make use of their daytime before travelling overnight. The company plans to increase the service to daily operations after the initial launch period.

The company is positioning the service as a combination of rail travel and hospitality, rather than a conventional night train. This includes partnerships with hotels, co-working spaces and gyms, which could provide services such as luggage storage, showers and early check-in.

New Nox Coach​

The coach unveiled at InnoTrans features several accommodation options, including the company’s Double Loft and Single Loft concepts.

The Double Loft is designed around a large double bed, while the Single Loft provides a private sleeping space for one passenger.

Nox also introduced the Nox Suite, which is planned for launch later in 2027. The private space is designed to function as a daytime workspace, with a large table and a door for privacy, before converting into a two-metre bed at night.

The company said the Double Vista luxury concept would follow later, with its introduction planned for 2028.

During the presentation, the company noted that its accommodation concepts were developed in response to complaints about existing night trains, particularly around price, privacy, comfort and reliability.

The company said it has collected feedback from almost 50,000 people who signed up to its Early Bird Club, with passenger suggestions informing both the physical train and the wider customer experience.

Bookings for the first Hamburg-Munich services opened at InnoTrans, with tickets available through the end of 2027.

Bookings are already open: https://noxmobility.com/en

 

[williamn]

I was quite sceptical about this but the progress in a short time is impressive. The price point for the airline-style 'suites' is pretty attractive. I'm intrigued by their aspirational route map a lot of which seems to replicate NightJet as far as I can see? Shame there's not more in France but I know that dealing with SNCF is nigh on impossible.

 

[NCT]

I'm intrigued by those beds that are in the direction of travel - I thought they'd be a no-no for the railway? Or am I thinking about rules that only exist in Britain but not elsewhere in Europe?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I was quite sceptical about this but the progress in a short time is impressive. The price point for the airline-style 'suites' is pretty attractive. I'm intrigued by their aspirational route map a lot of which seems to replicate NightJet as far as I can see? Shame there's not more in France but I know that dealing with SNCF is nigh on impossible.

But equally their website doesn't go into great detail of what you're getting, and calling flatbeds suites in a rail context is serious overtalk.

I'm intrigued by those beds that are in the direction of travel - I thought they'd be a no-no for the railway? Or am I thinking about rules that only exist in Britain but not elsewhere in Europe?

Do the trains reverse? Head first is the issue.

 

[NCT]

Do the trains reverse? Head first is the issue.

Even if not during a one-way journey, I'd be surprised if they'd turn all the carriages around for the return working.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Even if not during a one-way journey, I'd be surprised if they'd turn all the carriages around for the return working.

Very easy to run round a suitable loop or triangle during the day. The Riviera could do it but the Cally can't avoid a reversal.

 

[williamn]

I'm intrigued by those beds that are in the direction of travel - I thought they'd be a no-no for the railway? Or am I thinking about rules that only exist in Britain but not elsewhere in Europe?

They're usual in North America but of course standards there are quite different. That said I would be hugely surprised if this hasn't been checked by Nox after spending millions on product development!