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France Ends Subsidy for Night Trains, Paris–Berlin and Paris–Vienna to Stop Dec. 14

The transport ministry ended the public orders that financed the cross-border sleepers.

Un train de nuit Paris-Berlin. La liaison va être arrêtée à partir du 14 décembre, a annoncé la compagnie ferroviaire autrichienne ÖBB lundi 29 septembre 2025.
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Un train de nuit à Vienne, en Autriche, le 13 décembre 2021.
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Overview

  • ÖBB and SNCF said the services cannot be offered from 14 December 2025 after France notified an end to 2026 public orders for their operation.
  • Operators cited an essential subsidy of about €10 million a year for the Berlin link, arguing the routes are not economically viable without state support.
  • SNCF reported roughly 70% average occupancy in 2024, but the trains ran only three nights per week instead of the planned daily service and faced frequent disruptions and higher night operating costs.
  • Tickets have been removed from SNCF’s booking site and are currently available only via ÖBB.
  • ÖBB will keep the Vienna–Brussels night train and continue investing in new capacity, while domestic French night routes continue with state backing as passenger groups and an MEP criticize the cuts.