This year, several important train connections departing from Berlin have already been discontinued. The reasons are of a financial nature: the costs are too high and many routes are no longer considered economically viable. This includes the unique cultural train that connects Berlin with Wroclaw – for around 27 euros and with a special experience on board: music, readings and a small selection of books to borrow. This makes it all the more disappointing for many that the culture train will only run until December 28, 2025. The situation is similar for the ÖBB Nightjet from Berlin to Paris, which was already scheduled to be discontinued in December due to high costs. But there is now light at the end of the tunnel: a new decision in the parliamentary committee could secure the future of this popular night train connection after all.
Despite relatively high ticket prices, long journey times and frequent delays, the ÖBB Nightjet from Berlin to Paris is popular with many passengers. France’s new rail boss Jean Castex explained at a hearing in parliament that the planned discontinuation of the connection was one of his “first topics”. He emphasized that he wanted to support the expansion of the European night train network – even if this represented an economic challenge. The Berlin-Paris connection was only reintroduced two years ago. Now it – as well as the Nightjet from Vienna to Paris – is to be discontinued again with the timetable change in December. The reason for this is the withdrawal of millions in state subsidies from France, which means that the operation is not profitable despite high demand.
Although the new SNCF boss is committed to restarting the Nightjet, it is unlikely that it will continue to operate when the timetable changes. At the same time, public pressure is growing: a petition from the Back-on-Track Europe initiative has already collected over 60,000 signatures (as of October 2025) in favor of keeping the route open. Even if there is no concrete rescue plan yet, the commitment of the new rail boss and the strong support from the public give hope. However, Castex conceded that an immediate reopening is not realistic – the economic problems are still considerable. So things look bleak for December. But there is reason for optimism in the long term: with political will and public pressure, the popular night train could still have a future.