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The night train network is expanding: starting next year, SBB will connect Switzerland with other European destinations. But the new sleepers will come later.
Now it’s official: from December 2021, a night train will run again on the route from Zurich to Amsterdam. SBB announced on Tuesday. Like the existing night trains, the connection is offered in cooperation with the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB). They have ordered modern night trains from the manufacturer Siemens. But since they are not yet available in sufficient quantities so quickly, older cars are currently being used on the new line, which SBB rents out from the German company RDC. The new night train to Amsterdam runs through Basel, Frankfurt and Cologne.
Starting in December 2022, the capacity of the existing lines from Zurich to Berlin and Hamburg will also be expanded. The two cities will receive separate night trains. There should also be a change to the existing night train from Zurich to Prague. It will run through Germany from the end of 2022, creating new connections from Switzerland to Leipzig and Dresden.
Connections to Rome and Barcelona
Vincent Ducrot, CEO of SBB.
Later, SBB wants to introduce new night trains from Zurich via Bern and Brig to Rome and a daily connection from Zurich via Bern, Lausanne and Geneva to Barcelona. However, this is not yet certain. Clarifications with partner railways are still needed, the railroad said. A spokeswoman for the Spanish railways Renfe confirmed to CH Media that new night trains will be introduced with the ongoing liberalization of railways in Spain. However, no decisions have yet been made on the connection to Zurich.
SBB is convinced that the demand for night trains will continue to grow. “This development is sustainable and the demand for environmentally friendly and resource-saving mobility will continue to increase,” said CEO Vincent Ducrot. The railroad also expects money from the state for the expansion of the night train network. A promotion of cross-border rail traffic is planned as part of the total revision of the CO2 Law. This should be approved by parliament this fall. SBB believes that financial support is necessary because the night train business is expensive and in shortfall, for example due to long downtimes and high costs for catering, staff and rolling stock.
Zurich becomes a hub
With the expansion, Zurich will become the most important hub for night train connections in Europe together with Vienna. There are already night trains from Switzerland’s largest city to Vienna, Graz, Hamburg, Berlin, Budapest, Zagreb and Prague. These connections are operated by the ÖBB, almost all under the Nightjet brand. After Deutsche Bahn pulled out of the night train business four years ago, ÖBB took over several lines and is now Europe’s largest provider of night connections. ÖBB also receives subsidies from the Austrian state for its night trains, at least for routes within Austria.
SBB exited the business in 2009. However, they have since become an important partner of ÖBB. Today’s Nightjet offer would be inconceivable without SBB, Kurt Bauer, responsible manager for ÖBB said at a night train conference in Denmark last week.
This will be the Swiss night train network from 2024.
