European Sleeper is the first train operator in Europe to open Christmas 2025 bookings Brussels – Antwerp
European Sleeper is the first train operator in Europe to open Christmas 2025 bookings
Brussels – Antwerp – Amsterdam – Berlin – Dresden – Prague
Utrecht, [10 June 2025] – European Sleeper is pleased to announce that bookings for one of Europe’s most popular festive season routes are now open for travel until 4 January 2026. Offering longer booking windows is one of the most important elements in making train travel more competitive with air travel. Due to various bureaucratic processes, European railways traditionally offer short booking windows for the high-demand Christmas period.
European Sleeper adopts a customer-oriented approach by opening booking windows as soon as demand for a particular season begins to rise. Just before summer is the perfect time for travellers to start planning their festive journeys and to secure their places on European Sleeper’s night trains at the most attractive fares. While many European railways struggle to plan ahead due to the annual timetable change in mid-December, European Sleeper has implemented tools to navigate these bureaucratic challenges more effectively.
Broad sales access is essential for rail growth
Another key factor in improving the competitiveness of the European passenger rail system is the broad availability of tickets. European Sleeper tickets are already available on the websites of the Belgian Railways (SNCB), Czech Railways (ČD), and several commercial platforms such as Omio and Trainline. However, some potential sales platforms are still deliberating on whether to offer European Sleeper tickets, which currently makes the booking landscape still fragmented for travellers.
European Sleeper serves one of Europe’s most popular festive season routes
Whether travellers are heading home for the holidays, planning a romantic winter getaway, or simply wish to experience the festive atmosphere of a European Christmas market, European Sleeper offers a unique way to travel – overnight, city centre to city centre. Some of Europe’s most iconic Christmas markets are directly along the route, including Berlin – home to over 80 themed Christmas markets scattered around the city, from traditional to trendy. Prague – known for its magical Old Town Square market, mulled wine and festive spirit, and Dresden – host of the world-famous Striezelmarkt, dating back to 1434. Also, Brussels and Antwerp are well-known for their great festive season vibes.
For more information, visit www.europeansleeper.eu
About European Sleeper
European Sleeper is one of the few privately owned international train operators in Europe. The company is now connecting four European capitals by a single night train, running thrice weekly since May 2023. The introduction of the new night train seasonal service to Innsbruck and Venice, launched in February 2025, enabled European Sleeper to expand its network, making it easier for passengers to choose greener travel options to reach Austrian ski destinations and Italy without compromising on comfort or convenience. Concurrently, European Sleeper is also preparing an ambitious new connection, supported by the European Commission: a new night train between Amsterdam and Barcelona.