1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites

How this tiny country won Europe's night train race

Katharina Schantz
April 10, 2026

As Europe's rail giants scrapped their sleeper cars, one tiny country went all‑in. Austria's ÖBB has built the continent's largest night train network, carrying millions across borders while everyone else hit the brakes.

https://p.dw.com/p/5BOh2

Night trains are making a comeback in Europe, led by Austria’s state railway ÖBB. The video follows an overnight journey from Germany to Vienna to explore why Austrian night trains remain popular while others disappeared. It looks at comfort, pricing and sustainability, compares trains with flights on emissions, and explains the political, economic and technical challenges of running sleepers — plus why private operators are now stepping in.

Skip next section About the show

About the show

DW "Planet A" Key Visual Composite

Planet A

We're destroying our environment at an alarming rate. But it doesn't need to be this way. Planet A explores the shift towards an eco-friendly world and challenges the way we are dealing with climate change.