Travelers in Europe are now presented with an enchanting opportunity to drift off to sleep in Brussels and awaken in the heart of Prague, thanks to a newly inaugurated sleeper train service. This innovative offering, dubbed the ‘Good Night Train’, is the latest venture by the start-up European Sleeper, which is set to embark on its inaugural journey from the Belgian capital to the Czech Republic tonight in March. This route is specially designed to meander through a series of celebrated cities including Amsterdam, Berlin, and others, enriching the night train network within Europe.

This development follows the successful launch of European Sleeper’s Brussels to Berlin service in May 2023, marking another milestone in the company’s ambitious expansion plans. Elmer Van Buuren, the co-founder of European Sleeper, shares the company’s vision of annually introducing a new route to foster a more cohesive and environmentally friendly European transport network. The inception of the Prague-bound sleeper service is motivated by the concept of ‘flight shame’—a term coined in Sweden to denote the environmental stigma associated with air travel.

Van Buuren advocates for the sleeper train as a superior alternative to both flying and driving, citing its minimal investment and lower carbon footprint. He highlights the convenience of train travel, which seamlessly connects city centers, thereby eliminating the need to navigate to and from peripheral airports. Van Buuren expresses a nostalgic desire to revive the golden age of night trains, allowing passengers to restfully sleep through their journey and arrive refreshed and ready for professional engagements in a new city.

The Czech Republic’s Minister of Transport, Martin Kupka, has also expressed enthusiasm for this venture, acknowledging the renaissance of night trains across Europe and the significance of including the Czech Republic in this revival. The Good Night Train’s itinerary notably includes stops in Antwerp, Rotterdam, and Dresden, further enriching the tapestry of European travel options available to explorers and professionals alike.

Source