THE European Sleeper overnight service launched between Berlin and Brussels on May 25.
Trains are departing Brussels Midi and Amsterdam Central on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with the return service departing from Berlin on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Three types of accommodation are available:
- seating coaches with prices starting at €49 one way
- couchette cars with fares starting at €79 for a berth in six-berth compartment or €99 for a berth in a four-berth compartment, and
- sleeping cars costing €149 for a compartment.
The service was launched by Dutch entrepreneurs, Mr Elmer van Buuren and Mr Chris Engelsman, who are planning to extend the Berlin service east to Prague as well as launch a new train that will connect Amsterdam and Brussels with Barcelona. The Berlin - Brussels service takes around 12 hours to complete the 1000km journey.
The inaugural service operated with 10 refurbished coaches, providing around 500 berths. European Sleeper plans to secure financing to modernise up to 35 coaches at a cost of between €40m and €60m. European Sleeper also plans to accept interrail passes in future.
