The line had been abandoned for nine years. It has been reopened since Monday, December 11th. To travel by night train from Paris to Berlin, it takes about thirteen hours for a distance of 900 kilometers. This is a much more environmentally friendly means of transportation than flying, but it has been neglected for many years. Currently, departures from Paris Gare de l’Est to the German capital are on Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday evenings, while trains depart from Berlin on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings. The journey therefore requires some minimum organization, at least until October 2024 when the trips should be available daily. The Paris-Berlin night train stops along the way in Strasbourg, Frankfurt, Erfurt, and Halle.
“Nightjet”. The line is managed by Deutsche Bahn, SNCF, and the Austrian company ÖBB, which provides the rolling stock. The “Nightjet” – that’s the name of the train – offers three different levels of comfort listed by BFM: 132 seats (reclining seats) for the most courageous with tickets starting at 29.90 euros, 108 places in couchette cars for four to six people starting at 59.90 euros, and finally 72 places in sleeping cars starting at 94.90 euros with single, double, or triple compartments. For this last option, there are standard cabins with a washbasin, or deluxe cabins with shower and toilet included, and even a à la carte breakfast. Tickets can be reserved online on the SNCF Connect, NightJet, and authorized distributors’ websites.
