OPEN-access passenger operator European Sleeper ran its first train to Prague on March 26, with the first departure from the Czech capital operating later the same day.
The overnight train, which leaves Brussels at 19.22 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and Prague at 18.04 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, is an extension of the Brussels - Amsterdam - Berlin service launched by European Sleeper in May 2023.
Although European Sleeper originally planned to run to Prague from the start, track maintenance in Germany delayed introduction of the Berlin - Prague service.
An estimated 300-400 people, including invited guests, travelled on the inaugural services in 15 coaches that had previously been in service with other operators, mainly German Rail (DB). The coaches for the 1300km journey were a mixture of standard seating, couchettes and sleeping cars.
The services were hauled throughout in both directions by a bespoke-liveried Lineas Traxx MS2 electric locomotive. European Sleeper is running the section in the Czech Republic in partnership with Czech Railways (ČD), which provides the drivers between Bad Schandau, Germany, and Prague.
A special event was held at Prague Main Station on March 26 to celebrate the start of the new services. Attendees included Czech transport minister, Mr Martin Kupka, Czech European affairs minister, Mr Martin Dvořák, and ČD CEO, Mr Michal Krapinec, as well as European Sleeper co-founders Mr Elmer van Buuren and Mr Chris Engelsman.
While European Sleeper has so far been financed by crowdfunding, the company now plans to approach institutional investors to expand its services and procure new or refurbished overnight rolling stock, which is in short supply across Europe.
“We are now looking at two funding streams,” van Buuren told IRJ at the Prague event. “This will enable us to scale up with a big partner.” No timescale has been set, but van Buuren expects the process to take at least six months.
In the meantime, European Sleeper is planning to add a second overnight train, running Amsterdam - Brussels - Paris – Barcelona, next year, depending on whether it can obtain sufficient rolling stock and track access in France.
