New night train service to Barcelona proposed, stopping at Antwerp and Brussels

European Sleeper plans to operate overnight trains from Amsterdam to Barcelona via Antwerp and Brussels three times a week.

The Dutch start-up hopes to run the service between the Netherlands and Catalonia capitals from December 2023. It has applied for permission to Dutch regulator Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM).

European Sleeper recently announced plans to offer an  overnight train service to the French Alps and the south of France in conjunction with Dutch tour operator Sunweb. The trains would stop at Brussels, with the Barcelona service a summer extension of this offer.

The rail company’s co-founder Chris Engelsman hopes the train will run as early as next year or in 2024. Although 10 December 2023 is mentioned for the launch, an earlier start is also possible.

Sunweb wants to offer direct night trains from the Netherlands and Belgium to French ski resorts and beaches. It’s not yet known which destinations in France would be served. Discussions are underway to assess the most attractive options.

European Sleeper has delayed indefinitely its plans to start a night service from Brussels to Prague via Amsterdam and Berlin this summer. Preparations are in full swing to launch the service as soon as possible, says the company.