European startup aims to make overnight train travel a luxury experience
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
Will the end of the pandemic see a revival in train travel?
One new company believes so, and it’s betting big that customers will want a luxurious and environmentally-conscious alternative to traveling by plane.
Sign up to receive the daily TPG newsletter for more travel news!
Midnight Trains is a Paris-based startup that’s looking to reinvent nighttime rail passenger service by creating a “hotel on rails.”
The trains will take their aesthetic cues from boutique hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants. The private sleeper suites will have their own dedicated bathrooms and room service availability. The dining cars will have seasonal menus and cocktail bars, all in an attempt to revisit the glamorous train travel experience of the past, with modernized amenities such as luxury bedding and on-demand entertainment.
Related: 6 epic train trips to take this summer
The sleeper suites will not be shared compartments. Midnight Trains says the suites can be booked as a solo or a group for family and friends.
The company has an ambitious plan to create a network of high-end luxury trains that emanates from its hub in Paris and will operate between some of the biggest cities in Europe, including Berlin, Rome, Venice, Copenhagen, Madrid and Brussels. On its website, Midnight Trains has 2024 as the launch date for its train service.
The company is banking on a resurgence in rail travel as the threat of coronavirus dissipates with the rollout of vaccines across the continent. It’s also highlighting the inconvenience of commercial air travel, as well as its harmful environmental impact. Midnight Trains says its service will be “more comfortable, seamless and sustainable alternative.”
According to some industry experts, demand is building for luxury train service, particularly for routes between major cities such as Paris, Venice and Barcelona. Aiding matters is that the French government is eager to revive sleeper trains as a more eco-aware travel option, having recently relaunched overnight train service from Paris to Nice.
Related: Why you may want to travel Europe by train, not plane
The plan to revive the Trans-Europe Express Network, the 2.0 initiative, is also a key factor. Experts view it as a way to kickstart nighttime rail travel across the continent once the pandemic is fully in the rearview, in a manner that is also climate-friendly. That plan would allow travelers to journey across multiple national borders without changing trains.
Featured photo courtesy of Midnight Trains.
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer ends 8/3/2022.
With Status Boost™, earn 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to two times per year getting you closer to Medallion Status. Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, 2X Miles at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets and earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases. Terms Apply.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer ends 8/3/2022.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Enjoy an exclusive rate of $39 per person per visit to enter the Delta Sky Club® for you and up to two guests when traveling on a Delta flight.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.