Ten years ago many European sleeper trains were taken out of service as high-speed lines and budget airlines dominated. After Covid lockdowns, sleeper services regained popularity as nervous travelers chose private compartments and regional exploration. Interrail sales surged in 2022–23 and sleeper services began to return. Climate concerns and a desire to reduce carbon footprints fueled renewed interest. New private operators and established national railways expanded or planned routes, supported by advocacy campaigns. A four-year journey tracked the sleeper-train revival across Europe and beyond. Luxury services like The Royal Scotsman emphasize relaxed, nostalgic travel, evoking the golden age of night trains.
After the Covid lockdowns, sleeper services began to find their way back onto travellers' radars. Many were nervous to fly, booking private compartments and taking the time to explore closer to home. In 2022 and 2023, Interrail saw a record year of sales - and then it began: bit by bit, sleeper trains were inching back out of the darkness, headlamps ablaze.
Private companies like European Sleeper appeared with ambitious plans to launch new sleeper services across Europe, and existing operators like Austria's state railways, Sweden's Snälltåget and Belmond were keen to extend their routes, encouraged by campaign groups such as 'Back on Track' and 'Oui au train de Nuit!' For four years, author Monisha Rajesh travelled around Europe and beyond to track the rise of the sleeper train for her new book, Moonlight Express: Around the World by Night Train.
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