The night train between Paris and Vienna, as well as between Paris and Berlin, is already threatened with cancellation just two years after its launch, with the timetable change in mid-December. The reason is the withdrawal of French financial support for the connection, reported the newspaper Le Monde, citing information from the French Transport Ministry and the state railway SNCF.
The services are operated by Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) in cooperation with Deutsche Bahn, French SNCF, and Belgian NMBS/SNCB. ÖBB Nightjets are used for the route. Staffing and ticket sales are handled jointly by all the participating railway companies.
No Official Confirmation Yet
There is currently no official confirmation of the discontinuation: “We have not yet received official notification of the termination of PSO (Public Service Obligations) funding in France,” ÖBB told APA upon request. “We are currently in close contact with our partners SNCF and DB and will communicate possible impacts in the coming days.” Deutsche Bahn referred inquiries to SNCF, which in turn referred them to the ministry, which gave no comment.
“The state as shareholder demands profitability from us, and we only achieve that with considerable effort. It cannot ask us to operate loss-making routes simply for the sake of a beautiful symbol, even if it is a beautiful symbol,” Le Monde quoted an SNCF representative as saying.
Budget Cut Behind Withdrawal
According to the paper, the French Transport Ministry decided this summer to cut millions in subsidies for the night trains to Berlin and Vienna after the government informed the ministry of its 2026 budget framework. France is heavily indebted and, after the fall of the government in a dispute over an austerity budget, continues to struggle to get its finances under control.
Other French media also reported on the looming end of the night trains, citing information from the “Oui au train de nuit!” (Yes to the Night Train!) initiative. The group launched an online petition to preserve the trains, which quickly gained nearly 15,000 signatures. A demonstration was also planned Friday evening in front of Gare de l’Est in Paris, where the night trains to Vienna and Berlin depart.
The initiative criticized the fact that the night trains run only three times a week and, contrary to assurances, were never expanded to daily service. In addition, the trains are not listed on France’s official SNCF Connect booking portal and can only be booked indirectly by travelers in France.
