Three weekly services would connect Belgium and the Netherlands with Copenhagen and southern Sweden
European Sleeper is preparing to launch a new night train linking Brussels with Copenhagen and Malmö in April 2028, in partnership with German railway operator RDC.
The planned service would operate three times per week in each direction. Trains are expected to leave both Brussels and Malmö at around 19:00 and reach the opposite terminus at approximately 10:00 the following morning, giving an end-to-end journey time of around 15 hours.
The proposed route would serve Brussels, Antwerp, Rotterdam, The Hague, Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Malmö, creating a direct overnight rail connection between the Benelux and Scandinavia. Malmö would also provide onward connections towards Stockholm and Oslo, while Brussels would offer connections to Paris and London.
European Sleeper and RDC are currently working with the infrastructure managers in the countries along the route to develop a viable timetable. A formal application for train paths is due to be submitted in April 2027, one year before the intended start of operations. Consequently, the provisional schedule, stopping pattern and launch date remain subject to capacity approval.
The route would be European Sleeper’s first service to Scandinavia and represents a further expansion of the Belgian-Dutch cooperative’s international night-train network.
“Our network is growing quickly, and Scandinavia is a natural next step,” European Sleeper co-founder Chris Engelsman said. “Together with RDC, we can create a night train that directly connects the Benelux with Copenhagen and Malmö, bringing another part of Europe within a comfortable night’s journey.”
RDC already supplies rolling stock for European Sleeper’s Paris–Berlin and Brussels–Milan services. The German company also has experience operating night trains between Germany and Scandinavia.
“Together with European Sleeper, we can build on this experience and create a strong new connection between the Benelux, Denmark and Sweden,” RDC chief executive Markus Hunkel said.
European Sleeper has not yet confirmed the train’s composition or fares. The service is expected to include seated accommodation, couchettes and sleeping compartments, while higher-end compartments with double beds and private bathrooms are reportedly being considered.
The company currently operates international night trains including Brussels–Prague and Paris–Berlin. Its Brussels–Milan service is scheduled to begin on 9 September 2026, while a Brussels–Barcelona connection is also being developed for 2028.
The Malmö project comes amid renewed demand for international overnight rail travel, although operators continue to face constraints including a shortage of suitable sleeping cars, complex cross-border approvals and limited capacity on heavily used European railway corridors.
European Sleeper presents the new route as a direct alternative to flying between the Benelux and southern Scandinavia. However, tickets are not yet on sale and the project will depend on satisfactory train paths being secured across several national rail networks.
Sources: European Sleeper and RDC Deutschland.