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France’s Subsidy Cut Forces Halt to ParisBerlin and ParisVienna Night Trains From December 2025

Operators say the sleeper routes cannot cover their costs without public support.

Overview

  • ÖBB said the Paris links to Berlin and Vienna will stop from 14 December 2025 after France ends public service orders and funding in 2026.
  • SNCF said the decision follows the termination of roughly €10 million a year in French subsidies, making the services uneconomic to run.
  • The routes, relaunched in 2021 and 2023, operated about three times weekly with around 70% occupancy but faced high staffing needs, border locomotive changes and single-berth revenue limits.
  • ÖBB will maintain its thrice-weekly ViennaBrussels Nightjet next year and continue investing in a fleet of next‑generation night trains for other routes.
  • Passenger groups have launched petitions and staged demonstrations, with Oui au train de nuit claiming support was pulled because the trains were not operated daily.