“The passengers want comfort, that’s normal. There will be new sleeping cars, but also couchettes and seats,” said Djebbari.
The plan is to connect Paris to several European capitals. In addition to Berlin, Djebarri also mentioned Madrid, Rome, Copenhagen and Stockholm. The night train connection between Berlin and Paris, which was discontinued in 2014, is scheduled to reopen at the end of 2023.
On Sunday evening, the French SNCF night trains between Paris and Briançon in the Alps and Paris-Tarbes-Lourdes in the Pyrenees resumed operations. New wagons are to be delivered from 2025.
According to the State Secretary, France plans to invest around 800 million euros in 300 wagons, around 30 locomotives and two repair shops.
France rediscovered night trains relatively late as an alternative to high-emission short-haul flights. Austrian railway services launched the Vienna-Munich-Paris route on Monday.
The Gare d’Austerlitz station in Paris now also offers first-class travellers the opportunity to shower for free at the station. In the future, second-class passengers will also be able to use the service for a fee.
