Paris–Berlin and Paris–Vienna night trains suspended as subsidies end

A Franco-Austrian-German overnight rail service linking Paris with Berlin and Vienna will be suspended from mid-December 2025 after France notified its rail partners it will end public service orders for the routes from 2026, Austrian operator ÖBB said. The decision affects the Paris–Berlin and Paris–Vienna night trains that were relaunched over the past two years as part of a broader revival of international sleeper services.

ÖBB said on its website that the discontinuation will take effect from 14 December 2025, citing the French government’s decision to stop funding the services from 2026. The operator said participation by international partners was necessary to maintain the routes and that, without French public support, its partners will no longer carry the financial shortfall alone. ÖBB added it will continue to operate and expand capacity on other sleeper routes, including Vienna–Brussels, which will run three times a week in 2026.

The night services were relaunched with public backing and high expectations. The Paris–Berlin–Vienna connection began regular operations in December 2023 and has averaged about 70 percent occupancy, rising to roughly 90 percent during the...