Night train routes across France are enjoying something of a renaissance, with the government ordering a new fleet and passenger numbers on the rise.
Almost a million people took a night train in 2024, 23% more than in 2023, according to Pierre-Christophe Soncarrieu, deputy director of the transport ministry’s Trains d’Équilibre du Territoire division.
The services still carry a whiff of old-school glamour, as well as offering a greener alternative to flying and saving money on hotel accommodation.
But where can you travel, how much do they cost and what features can you expect? We take a closer look.
All night trains depart from Paris Gare d’Austerlitz.
Passengers can choose between a reclining seat, the cheapest option, from €19; bunks in a six-berth compartment (second class); and bunks in a four-berth compartment (first class). Bunks cost from €29 for a single journey.
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It is also possible to book the first and second class compartments as a private compartment (espace privatif).
There is a compartment especially for women travelling alone or with young children. This is in the carriage close to the conductor and can be booked at no extra cost by ticking ‘espace dame seule’ when booking.
Shower facilities are available in Paris-Austerlitz and Toulouse-Matabiau stations for first class passengers.
SNCF admits its night trains “do not offer a good level of accessibility and are not recommended for wheelchair users”.
It recommends that disabled passengers who do wish to travel by night train should specify when booking that they have reduced mobility and require a lower berth, in a compartment close to sanitary facilities and access.
The Travelski Night Express service will be available from December 2025, connecting Paris with Bourg-Saint-Maurice (Savoie) in about eight hours overnight.
The train will leave on Friday evening and arrive on Saturday morning. Returns will be on Saturday evenings arriving on Sunday mornings. This gives skiers eight days of ski time.
Travelski, a subsidiary of leisure group Compagnie des Alpes, will run the service as part of a package that will include accommodation, transfers and ski-lift passes.
There will be a total of 14 return journeys between December 19, 2025 and March 20, 2026.
The train will serve eight resorts in the Tarentaise Valley: La Plagne, Les Arcs, Tignes, Méribel, Val d'Isère, Les Menuires, Val Thorens and Courchevel.
The Nightjet is run by Austria’s national rail company ÖBB and travels from Paris to Berlin three times a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays).
The journey time is 13 hours and 14 minutes. Trains depart from Paris Gare de l’Est and also stop in Strasbourg.
Compartments can be booked on many night trainsSpech/Shutterstock
A seat in a second class compartment is the cheapest option, from €29.90.
Couchette compartments have berths for four or six people, with prices starting from €49.50. Women-only compartments are available.
Sleeper compartments are more comfortable and can be booked for one to three people from €89.90. Choose between standard and deluxe sleepers (standard has a private sink and deluxe has a private shower and toilet in the compartment).
Passengers can book private compartments to ensure their group is in the same compartment, with no strangers.
Passengers can also travel by Nightjet from Paris Gare de l’Est to Vienna (this route goes via Munich and Salzburg).
Many Nightjet routes include a wheelchair-friendly couchette compartment, also known as a “barrier-free compartment”. This has room for one wheelchair user and an accompanying passenger. Travellers can book this compartment by calling customer services or using the online booking form.
Trenitalia will connect Marseille and Rome every weekend from July 4 to August 30.
The Espresso Riviera will connect the cities along the Côte d'Azur and the Ligurian coast, stopping in Toulon, Cannes, Nice, and Genoa.
A departure will be provided every Friday evening from Rome Termini, arriving at Marseille Saint-Charles on Saturday morning. The return train will leave Marseille on Saturday evening and arrive in the Italian capital on Sunday morning.
Dates, time and ticket information have not yet been released.
“I've always loved night train travel, whether it's in Thailand, Kenya, India, Sri Lanka or France. Specifically in France, I would say beware of your luggage disappearing. Otherwise it’s generally a comfortable, enjoyable experience but I prefer overnight buses by far. Also, train travel in France isn't cheap.” TH
“Years ago, we went from Bayonne to Switzerland in a sleeping compartment. It was okay but the train seemed a bit old. It would be fantastic if they expand the train services. There are far too many cars on the road in France, especially during summer.” LE
“I used to love the overnight train between Paris and Rome, but that was years ago. I saw a train from Paris to Milan advertised recently. I would love more sleeper trains again.” SP
“I went from Marseille to Paris about eight years ago. It was perfect – arrived on time and comfortable. I also left Paris for Saint-Raphaël recently, which was even more comfortable and also on time. I was in a mixed cabin and everyone was very nice. I've been told that the train is sometimes cancelled and not to rely on it arriving on time, but it’s still a great way to travel.” JLB
“I took the night train from Bordeaux to Paris. As I wanted privacy and it was being paid for, I bought all four berths in my compartment. There is now a night service to Paris from Pau, which my daughter used as she had a two-day-per-week teaching job in Paris. She says the service was fine.” MR
