Night trains: Engineering for comfort, safety and reliability
As innovative night train concepts feature among the focus topics at InnoTrans 2026, it is worth taking a closer look at what makes them different. They are more than day trains that run after dark: their distinct safety, comfort and operational requirements call for specialized solutions.
When low-cost airlines and high-speed trains emerged 30 to 40 years ago, they seemed to spell the end of what The Guardian has called the “most romantic form of travel”[1]: night trains. Although they operate on six of the world’s seven continents, their future looked bleak: flying was not only faster but also cheaper. As a result, many night train services were discontinued. State-owned operators such as Deutsche Bahn withdrew from night train services and sold their fleets of sleeper coaches. The decline reached a point in 2017 when a report for the European Union suggested that overnight trains might soon become virtually extinct.[2] While overnight trains continue to play a significant role in China, India and Russia, similar declines have been observed in North and South America, Africa and Australia.
But despite predictions of their decline and disappearance, particularly in Europe, night trains have made a comeback in recent years. Media attention and growing interest among young, urban and environmentally conscious travelers, have sparked renewed debate about their revival. Austria’s Nightjet sleeper trains, which transport around 1.5 million passengers per year, have been “the catalyst for a remarkable revival in overnight rail travel”[3], with new routes and custom-built trains expanding the network. Dutch-Belgian start-up European Sleeper has also entered the market, while others are planning new routes or exploring new vehicle and cabin technologies.
In terms of comfort and sustainability, night trains have a lot to offer. For one, train travel produces significantly fewer emissions. On average, “a passenger in a train emits 22 grams of CO2-equivalent per kilometer. In a plane, it is almost six times as much, according to the International Energy Agency”[4]. Bernhard Ibi, Team Leader Rail Central Europe at Schaltbau and an avid night train traveler, appreciates avoiding red-eye flights, airport processes and hotel costs. “For me, traveling by night train is the more pleasant way to travel […] and to cover longer distances within Europe.”
Even though interest is growing, the revival is far from straightforward. Night trains are more difficult and expensive to operate and maintain, primarily serving irregular passengers such as tourists and leisure travelers. They also have a much lower capacity than daytime high-speed trains: a conventional sleeper train accommodates around 340 passengers, only about one third of the capacity of a Deutsche Bahn ICE 4.[5] Night-time staffing surcharges add to operating costs, while the limited availability of rolling stock – due to 30-year procurement cycles[6] and a scarce leasing market – further constrains expansion. High infrastructure costs, including track access charges, maintenance closures and the complexities of cross-border operation, add to the challenge.
Night trains ≠ A day train operating at night
The differences between day and night trains start with the train itself. Most obviously, night trains have dedicated sleeping accommodation in sleeping cars and/or couchette compartments. But the differences go beyond passenger accommodation. Because passengers are asleep, night trains face stricter fire-safety requirements: passengers may not notice a malfunction or fire and may be unable to alert the train crew. As a result, fire hazard class 3 rather than hazard class 2 applies to night trains. Electromechanical components such as plugs, contactors, connectors and cables must therefore meet higher fire-safety requirements.
Night trains also require a higher level of passenger comfort. As a result, modern sleeper compartments contain more equipment than daytime trains without individual compartments. This includes dimmable lighting, volume and air-conditioning controls, conductor call buttons, toilets and showers, and small onboard kitchens with refrigerators. Train staff also have dedicated sleeping compartments where they can retreat at night. So while a night train carries fewer passengers, it contains a higher density of equipment per passenger. Reliablity is therefore essential for minimizing train downtime and maintenance costs.
The nights are inherently international
Another set of requirements arises from the fact that night trains are typically international, crossing one or more borders during their journeys. European mainline railways use three different track gauges and four electrification systems: 1,5 kV DC, 3 kV DC, 15 kV AC and 25 kV AC. Modern electric locomotives can operate under all four systems, but sleeper cars must also adapt to different supply voltages. This is where products such as Schaltbau’s CO4 come into play: the robust six-position high-voltage changeover unit enables the load-free configuration of electrical consumers in cross-border rail vehicles. The company’s voltage selectors can also measure the incoming voltage and configure the vehicle accordingly.
The importance of reliable power distribution
Where passengers see a comfortable compartment, engineers see a complex electrical system that must function reliably to keep scarce rolling stock in service. This includes air conditioning, lighting, passenger sockets, safety and information systems, compartment controls, and more. A power outage is particularly critical in a sleeper car: it could mean taking the entire coach out of service – hardly ideal with passengers asleep on board.
Developed in collaboration with a major rail OEM, Schaltbau is launching a solution at InnoTrans 2026 that could benefit all types of trains, particularly night trains: the HV, a plug-in connector for reliable AC power transmission via the three-phase AC train busbar. If a coach’s connection to the train busbar or its onboard power converter fails, the affected coach can be supplied with power from an adjacent coach.
By creating redundancy in the power network, the HV connector keeps essential onboard functions such as lighting and air conditioning operational. As a result, an affected coach can remain in service and continue to its destination. The plug-in connection also requires minimal effort and can be simply operated. This makes it easier to disconnect, remove or add coaches and provides greater flexibility during maintenance.
Reliable components: Less maintenance, more uptime
Night trains require more technology. But more technology should not automatically mean more maintenance, particularly given the limited availability of sleeper cars and the profitability challenges of operating them. “Increasing safety and reliability while reducing downtime is the standard we set for ourselves,” stresses Schaltbau’s Bernhard Ibi. “And with our broad portfolio, we can supply many critical interfaces from a single source.” Ibi estimates that around 20 safety-relevant Schaltbau components can be found in a sleeper car. These include UIC and EP connectors, train busbar connectors, switching and earthing devices, high-voltage contactors, compartment control units, passenger alarm and passenger alarm handles, contactors for coach entry and heating, and the HV connector.
What does it take for a true revival?
Taking a night train is currently a minority practice. According to a research report, only 1 in 4 Europeans have taken a night train in the past six years. On the other hand, “86% of Europeans would consider at least one night train destination if the offer were expanded”.[7] While a true “revival of the night train” probably rests on coordinated large-scale policy change and investment in rolling stock to increase service levels, there is also an opportunity to make existing and newly manufactured trains as reliable, comfortable and efficient as possible. From fire-safe electrical components and cross-border power management to reliable power distribution and redundancy, the right electromechanical solutions can help keep scarce rolling stock in service.
[1] The Guardian, The Guardian view on Europe’s stalling night train revival: don’t let it hit the buffers, January 11, 2026.
[2] Case Studies in Transport Policy, An assessment of the potential contribution of overnight trains to sustainable long distance travel in Europe, Issue 22, 2025.
[3] CNN, The World’s Best Night Trains, August 13, 2026.
[4] Deutsche Welle, Europe's sleeper train comeback, February 18, 2026.
[5] Deutsche Welle, Europe's sleeper train comeback, February 18, 2026.
[6] TRA2026 – Transport Research Arena, Session Report “Future of Efficient Night Trains in Europe”, May 2026.
[7] OpinionWay, Night trains in Europe: relics of the past or promise for the future?, Research Report, October 2025.