The Dutch-Belgian railway company European Sleeper will launch a new nighttrain from Brussels to Milan on 9 September 2026, via Cologne and Zurich. It is the company’s third route, expanding its network from one to three services within six months*.

The new nighttrain forms an important north–south connection in Europe and is aimed at both tourists and business travellers. With connections in Brussels, Cologne, Zurich and Milan, passengers can easily continue to cities such as London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Venice, Florence and Rome. This makes a large part of Europe significantly more accessible by train and less time-consuming to travel across.

* European Sleeper began in 2023 with the night train from Brussels to Berlin, later extended to Prague. From the end of this month, a night train between Paris and Berlin will also be in operation.

Temporary adjustment to the official route

The nighttrain from Brussels to Milan will initially run through Switzerland via the Gotthard Pass instead of the originally planned Simplon route. This change is due to scheduled track works until 2027. According to the company, the revised route also offers new opportunities, such as a stop in Göschenen with access to ski resorts and connections to destinations including Lugano and Como.

The start date was moved from 18 June to 9 September 2026. Reasons for this are major works on the railway in Germany in the summer of 2026 and the approval process in Switzerland. As this is a new country for the European Sleeper trains, new contracts had to be signed, and this unfortunately took a bit longer than hoped. According to the company, the later start ensures that everything will be perfectly arranged by then, meaning the launch should run completely smoothly. This is a smart move, because with the launch of the winter train to Italy, the administration also ran behind schedule and the first trains were unable to reach their final destination. It is good to hear that the European Sleeper team has learned from that mistake and is now choosing certainty.

A direct connection from the Netherlands to Milan will not be introduced until 2027. Until then, Dutch travellers can board in Brussels, Liège, Cologne or Aachen.

Timetable and route

The nighttrain from Brussels to Milan will depart from 9 September 2026 three times per week from Brussels, on Monday, Thursday and Saturday evenings. Arrival in Zurich and Milan follows the next morning. The return journey from Milan is on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday evenings.

In Milan, the train arrives at Porta Garibaldi station, which is centrally located and offers connections to, among others, high-speed trains to southern Italy. For more extensive national connections, travellers can transfer to Milano Centrale, a short metro ride away.

Tickets from March 2026

Ticket sales for the nighttrain from Brussels to Milan start on 17 March 2026. Tickets in the budget category start from €29.99 for a seat. A couchette bed is available from €49.99 per person. For more comfort, more expensive options are also available, such as a private compartment and extra facilities such as breakfast. At European Sleeper, women-only sleeping compartments are available.

Growth of the nighttrain network

European Sleeper is responding to the growing demand for international rail travel and night trains in Europe. Since its launch in 2023, the company has carried nearly 240,000 passengers on more than 750 night trains. At the end of March 2026, a new connection between Paris and Berlin will also start.

The company operates according to a cooperative model and offers individuals and organisations the opportunity to invest in the expansion of the network.