If all goes according to plan, business travellers will be having more Nightjet services from Switzerland starting in December 2021.
Mehr #nightjetliebe für Europa! 😍
Zusammen mit der SBB (@railservice) freuen wir uns die Strategie der Ausbaupläne des «Nightjet-Netz Schweiz 2024» vorzustellen! Die Pläne beinhalten den Ausbau des #Nightjet-Netzes ab der Schweiz auf insgesamt zehn Linien & 25 Destinationen. 🚄 pic.twitter.com/FFkeQVToLr— ÖBB (@unsereOEBB) September 15, 2020
In a statement issued on Tuesday by SBB (Swiss Rail), the existing co-operation between it (SBB) and OEBB is expected to see the current schedule of six routes expanded to 10.
Three of these new routes would link Switzerland with Amsterdam, Rome and Barcelona. Existing services to Germany and the Czech Republic would be boosted.
However SBB admits that “The planned expansion can only be achieved with the financial support of the Swiss Climate Fund.”
If plans succeed the first new route, one linking Zurich with Amsterdam via Frankfurt and Cologne, would start as early as December 2021.
OEBB is the main operator of sleeper trains in mainland Europe.
Germany’s Deutsche Bahn (DB) exited the sleeper train market some years ago while France’s SNCF operates just a few trains aimed at the leisure market.
– New Nightjet trains being built by @SiemensMobility cover all bases: Sleepers, family 4-berth, mini-suites (individual capsules).
– Covid-19 has vindicated mini-suites = sole occupancy at couchette prices. OBB believes it overcomes key reluctance to use night trains = privacy.— The Man in Seat 61 (@seatsixtyone) September 15, 2020
OEBB is acquiring a new Nightjet fleet to help with this expansion. These trains will be built for today’s customers and according to Seat61’s Mark Smith a particular feature will be mini-suites at couchette prices.
Both Austria and Switzerland are rail-minded and want more airline passengers to take the train on shorter routes.
