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Overnight train connecting Spain and Europe scheduled for next year
The first Barcelona-Zurich night train will hit the tracks in December 2024
Imagine going to sleep in one country and waking up in another, all without having to navigate airport queues or cross the waters, and to travel in style and comfort to boot. That’s the goal of pioneering company Nightjet, which plans to connect Barcelona and the rest of Europe with luxurious overnight trains from the end of 2024.
The railway was invented almost two centuries ago but it is back in vogue as nations strive to promote more environmentally friendly alternatives to air travel. France has banned domestic flights with distances of less than 200 kilometres, Spain is considering something similar and the European Union is pushing countries to promote train travel.
Nightjet’s ultimate goal is to connect 13 European cities through a network of high-quality night trains and it’s already well on its way. The first phase, with lines linking Vienna and Munich, as well as Zurich, Cologne and Amsterdam, started operating in December 2021. By 2022, the connection between Zurich and Rome was up and running, and now, at the end of 2023, the connection of Vienna and Berlin with Brussels and Paris is planned.The exciting news for Spain is that the company will launch direct night train services between Barcelona and Zurich in December 2024, with the ultimate plan of linking the northern Spanish city with Basel, Berlin, Brussels, Cologne, Florence, Hamburg and Milan.
Technology and comfort are the buzz words for Nightjet, which contracted Siemens to design its train cars. But travelling across Europe won’t cost the world, since overnight passengers can opt for cheap seats for as little as 50 euros each way. Shared bunk cabins are available for a slightly higher price while private sleeper cars will set travellers back around 160 euros.
All cabins also have a built-in bathroom.
With a capacity for 254 passengers and a speed of 230 kilometres per hour, Nightjet trains aim to offer a high-end travel experience for a low-end price tag.A second company, Midnight Trains, plans to start operating at the end of 2024, connecting cities like Paris and Barcelona on overnight runs.
In other news: Spanish railway strike called off at eleventh hour
Images: Nightjet
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