First night train from Berlin arrives in Paris
French Transport Minister Clément Beaune and several representatives of the German, French and Austrian railroads also traveled to Paris by night train. The journey took around 14 hours. "The night train stands for climate-friendly travel and a networked, borderless Europe," emphasized Deutsche Bahn CEO Richard Lutz before the departure from Berlin Central Station on Monday evening.
Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) spoke of a "new era of the night train alliance". Such connections are experiencing "a renaissance". This year, more than 7000 night trains have already traveled through Germany.
The couchette carriages of the new night train are old German carriages that Austrian Railways(ÖBB) had bought from DB. "At first we were ridiculed (...) but our success proves us right," said ÖBB boss Andreas Matthä. The old carriages have been modernized, but some of the original details have been retained, such as the switches for the light and volume control.
Initially, the Nightjet train will run three times a week from Berlin on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and from Paris on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The arrival time at Paris East Station is 10.24 a.m., which is unlikely to be very attractive for business travelers. Travelers who want to spend a weekend in Paris will either have to return on Saturday evening or stay until Tuesday evening. From October 2024, the night train will run every day of the week.
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Source: www.stern.de
