Night Trains

umverkehR has 30.9. handed over 11’114 signatures from the petition “Save the night train” organised together with other organizations (IGöV, Green Party, Pro Velo, Pro Bahn, Young Green, JUSO, foot traffic Switzerland) to the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) in Bern. With the petition, umverkehR urged the Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard and the SBB to…

DEC 26, 2016 The Occitania Region has announced that it has reached an agreement with the French State to maintain the Paris-Port Bou night train. SNCF has been ordered to resume operations. The mobilization of users, trade unions and elected representatives has shown that the night train is a mode of transport of the future,…

23.11. 2018: Article from the largest Danish newspaper Politiken by Sune Højrup Bencke (original in Danish, translated by Back-on-Track) 3.12. 2018: Editorial from the same newspaper (lower area of this article) The Back-on-Track organization has today delivered a huge bunch of signatures to the Transport, Building and Housing Committee at the Danish Parliament at Christiansborg…

In a joint editorial from six of the major left-wing parties, including the Danish Enhedslisten, printed in the Danish daily Information d. 24.4. 2019, the parties argue that transport in Europe must be changed. They write: Reducing CO2 emissions within the European transport sector is also a crucial element in the effort to meet the…

The Swedish branch of Back on Track has delivered 65 000 names in favour of night trains Stockholm/Oslo- Copenhagen-Hamburg- Paris/Berlin to the Swedish transport minister! The petition has been a success – and the minister Tomas Eneroth also seem to understand the momentum in the issue. This week the Swedish government announced extra money in…

Why should your country and region not hear about the opportunities of climate friendly transport? A positive wave is observed in countries like Switzerland, Holland, Denmark and Sweden, where a trend is on the move against flying and for rail transport and night trains. Maybe also elsewhere in Europe? In this light, Back-on-Track is calling…

From Switzerland the news that the Zürich – Strasbourg – Luxembourg – Brussels EuroCity train will be cancelled from December 2015 onwards. This train has been progressively reduced over the years – it once ran as far as Milano Centrale, and has suffered from poor quality rolling stock and no restaurant car for the last…

“Exit at the last second” Climate activists protest against short-haul flights Airplanes were unable to take off at several airports on Monday – climate activists from Extinction Rebellion wanted to attach themselves to planes with superglue or get out before take-off. They were verbally harassed by passengers. Activists of the climate protection movement Extinction Rebellion…

The EU Commission has 14.12. presented an Action Plan, that is covering the area of promoting night trains. >> Read the Back-on-Track comments to the Action Plan (20.1. 2022) The phrase ‘night train’ is only mentioned four times in the 18 pages document. But anyway many elements goes to improving conditions for night trains. Find…

– from June 29th to July 8th. Assistance outside France is needed, see later. – June 29th in Toulouse : a demonstration for public rail service (not only night trains) – likely June 30th in Paris : demonstration for the (maybe) last departure of the night train to Hendaye/Irun (train called “la Palombe Bleue”) –…

There is an extremely interesting new poll by the “EUPinions” Institute (which seems rather neo-liberal, certainly no eco-leftist propaganda…) on the ideas of Europeans on climate protection. Some of the data is really interesting for trains: Almost two thirds (!) support a ban (not just higher taxes!) of short haul flights – with an far…

To a public meeting 11.4. 2019 Back-on-Track activist Poul Kattler from Denmark presented why night trains in particular is the way to reduce air traffic in Europe. You may get inspired to your presentations from this one. >> Look at it as pdf >> Or take it to your desktop as powerpoint

Back-on-Track, Denmarks say: Now Danish authorities has to enter the machine room – and begin with a look into our recommendations! Monday 27.4. the long awaited Swedish report on the re-introduction of Scandinavian night trains to the continent was published with three annexes. >> Find the Swedish report here (in Swedish) >> Find the report…

We are pleased to notice that the Belgium Minister of Transport, Mr Gilkinet, has listened to Back-on-Track, Belgium laments and is taking the problem of subsidies to night trains seriously, after 20 years of phasing out international rail traffic. We are aware that the announced budget is limited, only two million euros a year, that…

The European Cyclist’ Federation has made a collection of good practice examples from across Europe that give cyclists a smile: BIKE AND TRAIN: GETTING MORE PEOPLE ON THE RIGHT TRACK WITH 7 SIMPLE STEPS It is possible to get more people to use long-distance and international rail services and thereby help to reduce Green House Gas (GHG) emissions…

The last days has brought a demonstration in Paris to promote space for bikes in the Thalys HST. And then a demonstration in Zürich to promote more space for bikes in the ÖBB NightJet trains. On June 7th, an action with bikes took place in front of the Thalys desk in Paris, to ask the company…

The European Commission advocates more of these rail connections, such as between Amsterdam and Berlin, to relieve air and road transport and to reduce pollution drastically. That is what Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc said to De Telegraaf. She also wants to level the competition between train and plane. “We’re investigating if all taxes and ticket…

Today 31.5. there was a handover of almost 30.000 signatures from the German petition and a presentation of new printed material about LUNA night trains. They were two events side by side in Berlin. Martin Burkert (chairman of the German transport committee) and to the petition committee Annette Sawade (SPD) were receiving the signatures. Anette…

Back-on-Track has decided that we in cooperation with other train friends will make parties in Berlin, Wroclaw, Frankfurt (Oder) and Vienna in relation to the new night train. Events will take place both Sunday evening and Monday morning. > Have a look at pictures Berlin, Sunday 9.12. We are celebrating the first departure of this new…

Picture from Berlin Gesundbrunnen on the 2.4. 2023 Did Deutsche Bahn think it was an April Fool’s joke that the SJ night train from Stockholm was coming to Berlin for the first time on April 1? – No timetable, no track displays, no information: Back-on-Track Germany e.V. criticizes the extent to which DB continues to…

While we have mobilized on climate friendly night trains in the Back-on-Track network during a couple of years; another movement is right now under establishment to fight airport expansions around the World (named “Stay Grounded”). The growing air traffic is a big issue in the climate debate, and since it will make a lot of…

This alliance will support charter trains to the COP21 in Paris. It is our intention to influence the political demands brought to Paris both on the official conference and on the NGO-summit. We need to bring demands about CO2 friendly transportation and railways into the meeting rooms and to the posters on the streets of Paris.…

BackgroundUnder the European Green Deal, the European Commission has committed to making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. Later this year, the Commission will present an action plan toboost long-distance and cross-border passenger rail services. The Commission asked Steer, supported by KCW, to undertake a study on enabling the growth of long-distance cross-borderpassenger rail…

NEW DEVELOPMENT: There has been strong protest against the discontinuation of the last night trains i Spain, which was justified by Corona, that Renfe is now turning around and assuring that the lines will be continued. The protests ranged from passengers to associations and organisations and even to the governments of the affected regions. The…

Previous years has given us a lot of examples of only-for-one-train tickets, and a pressure on the use of Interrail tickets. Now we can se another tendency – a private operator is accepting Interrail. RegioJet is the first private operator in the Czech Republic, which has begun to recognize the international network tickets InterRail and…

Meeting with Kurt Bauer, ÖBB, 27/9-2017, ÖBB Headquarter, Wien Notes by Gunnar (SustainableEnergy), Poul (Council for sustainable traffic), the last one via phone from Copenhagen. Gunnar presented the Danish situation after which Poul told about the European cooperation “Back on track”, and confirmed a meeting with Kurt in Brussels in January 2018. Then Kurt told…

to reduce flying in Europe and in particular from Denmark south.

WHILE German Rail (DB) ceased operation of all classic overnight trains with sleeper and couchette coaches on December 11, internal DB documents retrieved by the German newspaper Stuttgarter Zeitung show that the services recorded increased profitability in the last few months prior to their withdrawal. The information is in line with eyewitness reports from staff and…

The European network „Back on Track“ which since 2014 has been promoting night train and other cross-border trains in Europe, welcomes Deutsche Bahn choosing „Back on Track“ as slogan for their support for the Greentech festival 2020. We have several proposals and demands which should be put „back on track“: return of the night train…

Air industry is these days begging governments for unconditional financial support to get through the Covid19 crisis. Since WW2 the industry has made fortunes without paying fuel taxes and VAT. And they have not accepted international guidelines to reduce their dramatic climate impact. Now it is time to make conditions: Workers and climate first! Back-on-Track…

The Dutch transport minister has now circulated a reworked position paper international rail passenger transport to Commissioners Vălean and Timmermans. Please see attached. The draft of this paper was first time presented and discussed in Holland on a conference on 15 November It looks like a “high-level platform of interested Member States” will be set…

The European Commission said on Wednesday (3rd of June) that train travel should be given special attention in 2021 as part of the EU executive’s Green Deal environmental agenda, suggesting that next year should be the ‘European Year of Rail’. A new agenda should “offer the legal […] framework for attractive alternatives to make railway…

Climate change, growing air pollution, and yet aviation emissions are increasing dramatically, year after year. This is because plane tickets prices are very appealing due to unjustified tax advantages for the aviation industry, while train tickets remain considerably more expensive. You are not the only one who is surprised about this. That is why we…

IEA has just released a long report about railways worldwide. The transport sector is responsible for more than half of global oil demand and around one-quarter of global CO2 emissions from fuel combustion. Therefore changes in transportation are fundamental to achieving energy transitions globally. Yet while rail is among the most energy efficient modes of…

Based upon a question from a number of Danish NGO’s last summer the EU Commission has provided an answer, which rather clear shows political ways to promote night trains in EU. Now the answer from October 2016 is translated to English and German. Here are the English words, look below for links to pdf files in…

After request from the EU-Parliament in 2020 DG MOVE announced for consultancies, to make the actual work. Main contractor is Steer Davies and Gleeve Ltd (see announcement), Sub contractor is the Berlin based kcw. The contract was signed in December. In the beginning of January there was a kick-off meeting, that gave input to some…

The blogger Jon Worth has initiated a campaign, which Back-on-Track support. This campaign is about how to scale up the provision of night trains in Europe. The problem that we have identified is that the lack of available rolling stock – the trains themselves – is the main issue standing in the way of scaling up night…

German federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer invited the fellow EU Transport Ministers to a special meeting Monday, September 21. The meeting continued the train positive initiative, originated from the Dutch government half a year ago. A formal council meeting is yet to come. In an interview with the “Berliner Morgenpost”, Andreas Scheuer stated that he…

Improvements are made from the draft proposal made to the EU-parliament, and now it looks much better. Both better compensations in case of train delays, same help and compensation if there is a travel chain (but more than one ticket), space for bicycles and better options for for people with reduced mobility. Now the decision from Parliament…

The European Commission has launched a tender “Pilot Project on the revitalisation of cross-border night trains”. The indicative starting date of the study is 1 September 2020. The period of the execution of the contract is 9 months. What is remarkable is the concise focus on main obstacles to night trains and a positive approach.…

EPF is an association of passenger organisations and organisations promoting sustainable mobility committed to improving standards on public transport and long distance international rail services in Europe. After preparations involving the many members was a ‘position paper’ released 14.4. 2020. During the last decade, European passengers faced a closure wave of night train services, but…

By Katia Hueso and Poul Kattler from the European network “Back on track” The European rail network has ceased to exist, or so it seems. “Back in the eighties and nineties, I travelled extensively through Europe by train and had the feeling I could move seamlessly from one country to the other, from capital cities…

The Netherlands has got a new railway company: European Sleeper. The new railway company promises to introduce a night train from the Netherlands and Belgium from April 2022 that will run several times a week. If the plans goes ahead, it will be the first time since Lovers Rail (1996-1999) that a private railway company…

New Danish report from Back-on-Track, Denmark European railways need to get out of their sleep and will, by 2030, be able lift much more of passenger transport at distances up to 1,200 km. The railway companies cannot do this alone. They must be helped by CO2 taxes, as recommended by the Danish Climate Council, and…

Back on Track’s demands for 2021 – the European Year of Rail The European Union has declared 2021 to be the European Year of Rail! We as Back on Track, the European network to promote cross border night trains, strongly support this initiative. Accelerating climate change, unsustainable travel patterns and years of railway negligence and…

It has been known for long, that ÖBB was about to renovate older stock into a next generation couchettes/liegewagen. And that they were about to order brand new cars to their NightJet services (Italy is changing their technical standard in the tunnels – old stock could not meet the standard). Also the ÖBB RailJets to…

The following article by Bernhard Knierim appeared in the German weekly “Der Freitag” issue 31/2020. It has been translated by Trevor Garrod. Future mobility based on Europe-wide rail network with emphasis on night trains. A super-train at 350km per hour from Lisbon to Helsinki – a new project as a cure for the climate, as…

FRENCH secretary of state for transport Mr Alain Vidalies confirmed in July that from October 1 the government will withdraw funding for Paris – Toulouse/Rodez – Albi, Paris – Savoie, Luxembourg – Nice/Port-Bou and Strasbourg – Nice/Port Bou services unless a new operator comes forward. Paris Austerliz – Tarbes/Hendaye (Irun) overnight trains will be continue…

The word which could be heard most was »co-operation«. DB wants to cooperate with ÖBB, ÖBB wants to cooperate with DB, and everybody emphasized that night trains only work when various train companies cooperate. ÖBB is very happy with their new night trains and say that the sleeping cars are overrun by travellers. DB seems…

Last weekend d. 12.3. there was action under the auspices of the European Network Back on Track at Hamburg’s main railway station on the occasion of DB’s closure of all night trains this year. The action took place after there had been a meeting with 17 participants representing organizations respectively. Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Holland, France, England,…

Germany, like the rest of Europe, has a transport sector where CO2 emissions are steadily rising and where politicians and authorities do not seem to be able to come together to do something about it. Germany’s great love relationship with motorists and the automotive industry since World War II is reflected in a unique distortion…

This is how a new publication from Germanwatch get started. It is giving a short and clear analysis, and shows good overall directions. Let us quote from the introduction: While many actors are praising railways, the European rail systemis currently not in the best shape to take a central role in transport systems. In almost…

We should not wake up one morning and not have noticed the popular demand for climate friendly travel opportunities. We should be ahead, be prepared, and guide the movement to the best possible political and practical directions. That’s why Back-on-Track activists were together with anti-flying activists, ngo’s, railway industry and politicians Friday 18.1. in Brussels.…

From the Swiss on-line media Tribune deGèneve we have kindly got this translation (from French) In the 1990s, since Cornavin (main railway station in Geneve), night trains left for Rome and Barcelona every night. To Yugoslavia via Venice in the wake of the Orient Express. Sleeping cars decorated with a hammer and a sickle carried…

Germanwatch together with the Civil Affairs Institute, ProRail, France Nature Environment, eco-union, Ecodes and Transport&Environment has published a new paper on the challenges of the European Rail system and what has to be done in order to improve it – especially during the Year of Rail. The 28 pages report is giving a good picture…

The European network to promote long-distance day- and night trains “Back-on-Track” met Thursday afternoon 2.9. to digest the presentation 1.9. All in all we are pleased with the process, and happy about the interactive approach during the presentation and feel confident that the many good comments during the presentation were also taken into account. In…

Did you miss the conference, here is a chance to catch up the introductions. Notice, that questions, answers and debate is not reported after agreement with the speakers and audience. >> Go to the Back-on-Track YouTube channel and selects what you want to see.

Press Release FS Group: Night Rome – Sicily: merging trains, no cuts It is not true that Trenitalia is about to cancel the Intercity Night links between Sicily and Rome, as it has been written and announced in recent days by some media. From the current four trains (two Intercity Night Rome – Sicily and two Sicily…

When the last motorail train departed Saturday 29.10. from Lörrach it was 95% full. Full German motorail trains was the tradition. But anyway they are now history. At 16.12. will the first new private motorail train depart from Hamburg Altona to Lörrach (suburb to Basel) with BTE = BahnTouristikExpress. But no trains to/from Munich. Read…

Holstein gets out SPIEGEL ONLINE’s feature The German Railways no longer wants night trains. The Austrian Federal Railways take over the material, but not the people. The remaining people are such ones as train attendant Joachim Holstein. SPIEGEL was following him on the last ride before he had to get off. >> Read the article here (in…

We have recieved this press release: “Together for night trains all over Europe” On June 7, 2019 at the Gare de Lyon in Paris, committed citizens, entrepreneurs and elected officials launched an association to revitalize night trains in Europe. In a context where no one can deny the phenomenon of climate change and damage to…

The Higher Administrative Court of Hamburg has granted an urgent application against the relocation of the long-distance railway station Hamburg-Altona! It justified the decision with the unclear future of the car loading terminal! These are two reasons to celebrate. Because now DB must commit itself to the future of motorail trains – and thus also…

PETITION: The Trenhotel with the former nown ‘Elipsos’ brand covered the journeys Madrid-Paris (Francisco De Goya), Barcelona-Paris (Joan Miró), Barcelona-Milan (Salvador Dalí) and Barcelona-Zurich (Pau Casals). The trains disappeared on December 15 of 2013 as a consequence of the start-up that day of the new direct lines between Spain and France with high-speed trains (TAV).…

The list is not complete, contributions and corrections are received with thank! >> Take also a look at Per Eric Rosén’s fine map of night trains (on Wiki) We are looking for the chances to keep a one-to-one relation between Per’s map and the information brought here on this page. Regarding subsidies: Except the Russian…

As rail users, and promoters of rail travel, we are very concerned at the proposed cutting of the Metropol night train between Berlin and Prague and between Breclav and Vienna. This news comes at a time when, in some parts of Europe, investment is taking place in night trains (in Great Britain, upgrading the Caledonian…

How the German Minister of Transport reinvents the sleeping car and the trans-European railway This is a translation of the original interview in NachDenkSeiten, and published with permission from this on-line magazine. Crazy times: Practically out of nowhere, Andreas Scheuer discovered the advantages of an integrated European rail transport system for himself – with “fast…

Many places on the CNL network protests will take place against the complete closure of German night trains. The list will be updated. Various organizers. Friday 9, evening: Cologne Friday 9, evening: Amsterdam (Rover is organizing) Friday 9: Munich Saturday 10, morning: Hamburg Saturday 10, afternoon and evening: Berlin (Back-on-Track) Sunday 11, evening: Zurich (umverkehR)