Night trains between Paris and Vienna: financial aid canceled!

Night trains between Paris and Vienna: financial aid canceled!

In the wake of current developments, the night trains between Vienna and Paris and between Berlin and Paris are in acute danger. How The press reported, France has canceled financial support for these connections, which means that the services could be discontinued when the timetable changes in mid-December 2023. According to information from the Paris Ministry of Transport and the state railway SNCF, there is a lack of financial viability to continue maintaining loss-making connections.

The night trains, operated by ÖBB, Deutsche Bahn, SNCF and NMBS/SNCB, are not only a connection for travelers, but also a sign of the comeback of sustainable mobility. The night trains from Paris to Vienna and Berlin recently resumed operations, but this only happened after extensive work and months of infrastructure upgrades. The new night train service from Paris to Berlin was also canceled just eight months after its introduction, highlighting the uncertainties surrounding the connections, as reported in an article by RailTech is to be read.

Political and economic backgrounds

The background to this drastic decision goes back to the summer, when the French government was forced to cancel the million-dollar aid for night trains due to high national debt and a strict austerity budget. “SNCF cannot maintain loss-making connections,” said a statement from the company, underlining the current situation. The only hope for supporters of night trains lies in the “Oui au train de nuit!” initiative, which has currently launched an online petition to preserve these connections. This has already mobilized almost 15,000 supporters in a short time and is planning a demonstration in front of the Gare de L'Est in Paris.

Although there is currently no official confirmation that the connections will be discontinued, communication between ÖBB, Deutsche Bahn and SNCF remains tense. ÖBB has stated that it is in close communication with its partners about possible impacts.

Night trains on the rise?

Despite the challenges night trains face, they have made a surprising comeback in recent years. According to information from PB Consult Numerous new connections have seen the light of day across Europe. The focus is on sustainable cross-border accessibility, which makes night trains a hope for climate protection and CO2 reduction. But national differences in regulations for technology, infrastructure and operations continue to pose a challenge.

Despite the falling number of connections, night trains seem to have a high priority in the hearts of many travelers. The analysis of the current night train offering in Europe, which was commissioned by PB Consult, provides information about the advantages and disadvantages of this travel option. The results are mixed, but they also show the potential that cross-border connections have in the future.

The next few days could be decisive as to whether these vital travel options between Vienna and Paris remain. An exciting development for all night owls and travel fans!