New Brussels-Milan sleeper train to launch in September

European Sleeper is set to add a new overnight rail link between Belgium and Italy, with the route also calling at Cologne and Zurich as demand grows for cross-border train travel across Europe

A new sleeper train linking Brussels and Milan will begin running on 9 September, giving passengers a direct overnight route between Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Italy.

Bookings open on 17 March for the new European Sleeper service, which will also stop in Cologne and Zurich as part of the cross-border route.

The operator said the train would run from Brussels on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and from Milan on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

From Brussels, the train is scheduled to reach Cologne in just over four hours, continue overnight to Zurich by early morning and arrive in Milan late the following morning. Northbound services from Milan will leave in the early evening, reach Zurich later that night, stop in Cologne the following morning and arrive in Brussels before midday.

Other stops on the route include Liège in Belgium, Aachen in Germany, Arth-Goldau, Göschenen, Bellinzona, Lugano and Chiasso in Switzerland, and Lake Como in Italy.

Tickets for a shared classic compartment start at €49.99 one way. Private compartments start at €179.99, with passengers able to book either a classic compartment for up to five people or a comfort compartment for up to three.

The train will offer both seated and sleeper accommodation. The cheapest option is a six-seat cabin, while sleeper options include shared and private compartments with different layouts and levels of service.

In comfort cabins, meanwhile, up to five passengers can travel in a compartment that functions as a seating area by day and a sleeping cabin by night. These cabins include beds and a table for daytime use. Mixed-gender cabins will be available, alongside women-only options.

Passengers in the basic sleeper categories will receive a blanket, sheet and pillow, with bathrooms located in the corridor. Bottled water is provided in each cabin, while breakfast is available for an additional charge.

Comfort Standard cabins have three beds, each with a duvet, as well as a small window table and a larger fold-up table. In Comfort Plus, cabins have a maximum of three beds along with seating, while towels, toiletries, breakfast, mineral water and a welcome drink are included.

European Sleeper also plans to include a small lounge selling snacks and drinks, alongside plug sockets and basic Wi-Fi.

The Brussels-Milan service forms part of a wider expansion by the operator. European Sleeper is also due to launch a Paris-Berlin route on 26 March, with Hamburg to be added from 13 July.

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_{Main image: European Sleeper prepares to expand its cross-border overnight network with a new Brussels-Milan route due to launch in September. Credit: European Sleeper}