Travelling between the Benelux and Scandinavia is set to become easier with a new overnight rail service linking Brussels, Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Malmö.

The route is planned to launch in April 2028, giving passengers a direct alternative to short-haul flights between some of northern Europe’s most popular cities.

The service will be operated by European Sleeper in partnership with German railway company RDC and will mark European Sleeper’s first route into Scandinavia.

From Brussels to Malmö Overnight

The planned train will connect Belgium and the Netherlands with Denmark and southern Sweden. In addition to Brussels and Amsterdam, the route is expected to serve Antwerp, Rotterdam and The Hague before continuing towards Copenhagen and Malmö.

Departures from both Brussels and Malmö are currently planned for around 7pm, with arrival at the opposite end of the route at approximately 10am the following morning. The journey will therefore take roughly 15 hours.

Services are expected to operate three times a week in each direction, making the route suitable for both short city breaks and longer journeys through northern Europe.

The final timetable has not yet been confirmed. European Sleeper and RDC are working with infrastructure managers along the route before submitting a formal capacity application in April 2027.

Several Ways to Sleep

Passengers are expected to have a choice of different accommodation categories on board. Plans include regular seats, couchettes and sleeper compartments, allowing travellers to choose between more affordable and more comfortable options.

A higher-end category is also being considered. This could include compartments with double beds and private en-suite bathrooms, although these features have not yet been officially confirmed.

Ticket prices have not been announced, so travellers planning ahead will need to wait for further details before calculating the full cost of the journey.

Easy Connections Across Europe

The new route will do more than connect four major cities. European Sleeper says it should also make rail travel between Scandinavia and other European capitals significantly easier.

London, Paris, Stockholm and Oslo are expected to be accessible with just one additional connection. This means passengers arriving from Britain or France could continue north without needing to rely on air travel for the entire journey.

For travellers already exploring continental Europe, Amsterdam and Brussels will provide useful interchange points, while Copenhagen will offer onward connections throughout Denmark and towards Sweden.

A Growing Night-Train Network

The Scandinavian service forms part of a wider expansion of European Sleeper’s network. The company already operates overnight trains connecting cities including Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin and Prague.

Its network is expanding in other directions too. A Brussels–Milan night service is being introduced in 2026, while another overnight route linking Brussels and Barcelona is planned for 2028.

The renewed interest in night trains reflects growing demand for rail journeys that allow travellers to cover long distances without losing an entire day in transit. Travelling overnight also removes many of the familiar stages associated with flying, such as reaching an airport outside the city centre and waiting through lengthy security procedures.

For now, the Brussels–Malmö service remains in the planning stage, with fares and the final timetable still to come. If the April 2028 launch proceeds as expected, travellers will soon be able to leave the heart of Brussels or Amsterdam in the evening and wake up the next morning in Copenhagen or Malmö — without setting foot in an airport.