European Sleeper’s first night train route into Scandinavia is set to begin operations in April 2028 following the announcement of a partnership with German railway operator RDC.
The new night train will connect Brussels and Amsterdam with Copenhagen and Malmö, creating a direct overnight service between the Benelux, Denmark and southern Sweden.
The Brussels-Malmö service expands European Sleeper’s network towards Northern Europe. By connecting Western and Northern Europe overnight, it brings cities such as Copenhagen and Malmö directly within reach, while destinations including London, Paris, Stockholm and Oslo can be reached with one additional change.
“Our network is growing quickly, and Scandinavia is a natural next step,” said Chris Engelsman, co-founder of European Sleeper. “Together with RDC, we can create a night train that directly connects the Benelux with Copenhagen and Malmö, bringing another part of Europe within a comfortable night’s journey. It also marks an important next step in our strong cooperation with RDC, which already supports our Paris and Milan services through the provision of night train rolling stock.”
Markus Hunkel, chief executive officer of RDC, added: “RDC has many years of experience operating night trains between Germany and Scandinavia. Together with European Sleeper, we can build on that experience and create a strong new connection between the Benelux, Denmark and Sweden. We see real potential in combining our operational expertise with European Sleeper’s growing network and customer reach.”
Initial plans for the new service will see departures from both Brussels and Malmö at around 7pm local time, with arrival at the other end of the route at around 10am the following morning.
The service is expected to offer a range of night train accommodation from European Sleeper and RDC, including comfortable seats, couchettes and sleeper compartments. Deluxe sleeper options are "also being considered", a release said, potentially including double beds and private en-suite bathrooms.
On 9 September 2026, European Sleeper’s first night train between Brussels and Milan will depart, connecting the Benelux with Switzerland and northern Italy. At the same time, preparations continue for the Brussels-Barcelona connection, also planned for 2028.
