Gamechanger European train that will take Brits to Spain without having to fly is DELAYED
EUROPEAN Sleeper has been forced to delay the opening a new train route connecting Barcelona to Amsterdam.
Trains linking the holiday destinations were meant to start operating in 2025, but the launch of the line has been postponed until 2026.
Train operator European Sleeper confirmed the delay last week after citing several issues.
Co-founder Chris Engelsman told Treinreiziger, a Dutch travel agent, the delayed launch date was because of issues negotiating with French railway manager SNCF Réseau.
He said: “Things are improving step by step. We also hear from other parties that it is simply difficult to do business with SNCF Réseau.”
According to Travel Tomorrow, Engelsman added: “They [SNCF Réseau] plan a lot of work in advance that does not always happen.
“They do not even have that many contractors. They are playing it very safe, and that does not make a night train possible.”
European Sleeper have also struggled to acquire the right train carriages for the service, with a larger number acquired.
Despite the year-long delay, train bosses remain hopeful for its future, with 2026 slated as the launch year.
When the service does open in two years, it will run overnight between Amsterdam and Barcelona.
It is thought the route will make it easier to reach the Catalan capital for those who don’t want to travel by plane.
European Sleeper have previously said that the route will stop at Rotterdam, Antwerp, Brussels and Lille in the evening and Avignon, Montpellier, Perpignan, Figueras and Girona in the morning en route to its destination.
With the Eurostar taking just one hour and 22 minutes from the UK to Lille, this means Brits will be able to join the journey.
There are as of yet no concrete details about how long it will take to make the full journey, other than the fact it will run overnight.
While there are currently plenty of sleeper train options running through Europe at the moment, European Sleeper say they are looking to improve what’s on offer.
Other new train routes
Earlier this year, a new train route in Europe relaunched after being closed for more than 30 years.
The reopened train line connects Italy to Croatia via Slovenia – allowing customers to visit three countries on just one train.
Passengers can board at Villa Opicina train station in Trieste at 7:50am.
The first stop is on the Slovenian border in Sežana, followed by Divača, Pivka and Ilirska Bistrica, the final stop in Slovenia, at 8:54am.
The train then enters Croatia, stopping at Šapjane, Opatija Matulji and Rijeka, the final stop.
The entire journey takes around two hours and runs both ways.
Back in March, a 15-hour night train journey launched connecting Brussels and Prague for the first time.
Operated by European Sleeper, the route stops in Antwerp, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Berlin and Dresden before arriving in Prague.
Sun Travel's favourite train journeys in the world
Sun Travel's journalists have taken their fare share of train journeys on their travels and here they share their most memorable rail experiences.
Davos to Geneva, Switzerland
“After a ski holiday in Davos, I took the scenic train back to Geneva Airport. The snow-covered mountains and tiny alpine villages that we passed were so beautiful that it felt like a moving picture was playing beyond the glass.” – Caroline McGuire
Tokyo to Kyoto by Shinkansen
“Nothing quite beats the Shinkansen bullet train, one of the fastest in the world. It hardly feels like you’re whizzing along at speed until you look outside and see the trees a green blur. Make sure to book seat D or E too – as you’ll have the best view of Mount Fuji along the way.” Kara Godfrey
London to Paris by Eurostar
“Those who have never travelled on the Eurostar may wonder what’s so special about a seemingly ordinary train that takes you across the channel. You won’t have to waste a moment and can tick off all the top attractions from the Louvre to the Champs-Élysées which are both less than five kilometres from the Gare du Nord.” – Sophie Swietochowski
Glasgow to Fort William by Scotrail
“From mountain landscapes and serene lochs to the wistful moors, I spent my three-hour journey from Glasgow to Fort William gazing out the window. Sit on the left-hand side of the train for the best views overlooking Loch Lomond.” – Hope Brotherton
Beijing to Ulaanbatar
“The Trans-Mongolian Express is truly a train journey like no other. It starts amid the chaos of central Beijing before the city’s high-rises give way to crumbling ancient villages and eventually the vast vacant plains of Mongolia, via the Gobi desert. The deep orange sunset seen in the middle of the desert is among the best I’ve witnessed anywhere.” – Ryan Gray
Dutch train operator GoVolta hopes to launch train routes from Amsterdam to Berlin and Copenhagen in 2025.
And Czechia public transport operator Leo Express has revealed plans to connect Belgium to Slovakia via a 19-hour train journey.