Night trains are making a comeback in Europe, and Midnight Trains, a French start-up, has revealed plans for a new network of overnight services from Paris to 12 European destinations, including Edinburgh and Porto.
The recent resurgence in night trains on the continent has been partially linked to "flight shaming," which has spread across Europe in the past few years as travellers become more aware of their carbon footprint.
Midnight Trains aims to reinvent the overnight train experience by launching a "hotel on rails" that offers a greener alternative to flying, as well as a more comfortable alternative to the basic night train services currently available.
The rail company’s trains are expected to cover distances of 800 to 1,500 km to and from Paris, and will feature "hotel-style" rooms, an onboard restaurant, a bar and an app-operated concierge service.
Guests are promised, "privacy, security and serenity" in each of the private rooms, which come in a range of sizes that cater to smaller groups, as well as larger parties.
There are currently limited options for travellers who want to avoid flying within Europe, but don’t like the idea of spending a night on an uncomfortable overnight train in a standard train seat - or even existing - though increasingly rare - sleeper cars. . Midnight Trains hopes to change this by producing comfortable and accommodating sleeper trains.
Its first route is expected to launch in 2024, while the network plans to become fully operational by 2030, with routes from Paris to Spain, Portugal, Italy and Scotland.
The company says prices will be competitive with airline fares.
