A new night train connecting Brussels to Milan has been delayed by several months and will now launch in September.

European Sleeper is a Dutch-Belgian train operator that runs night train services across Europe, connecting major cities such as Berlin, Prague and Amsterdam.

Its third route, a 17-and-a-half-hour journey connecting the Belgian capital to Italy’s fashion hub Milan, was scheduled to start running in June.

However, the company announced that this date has now been pushed back to 9 September 2026.

“Although the first departure comes a few months later than originally planned, the new connection marks an important milestone in the company’s development,” European Sleeper said in a statement on Tuesday, 3 March.

It said the delay was due to track works in Germany planned for summer 2026, which would not allow the service to operate reliably.

In addition to this, the certification process for Switzerland, a new country on European Sleeper’s roster, more time was required before the launch.

Once the service has debuted, the night train to Milan will initially depart from Belgium. A direct connection will be added to and from the Netherlands from 2027.

The train will also stop in Cologne in Germany, Zurich in Switzerland and Como in Italy.

Other stops will include the Swiss village of Göschenen, providing convenient access to nearby ski resorts. A stop in Lugano will allow travellers explore the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland.

Departures from Brussels are scheduled for Monday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings, arriving in Zürich and Milan the following morning. The return service from Milan will operate on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday nights.

Tickets for this route will go on sale on 17 March, and will include four classes of travel while onboard.

Fares in the budget class, which offer seats, start from €29.99 (£26) per person one way.

A couchette bed is available from €49.99 (£43), including ticket, reservation, luggage and bed linen.

Or travellers can upgrade to “Comfort Standard” from €99.99 (£87) or “Comfort Plus” from €129.99 (£113), which includes breakfast.

European Sleeper currently runs night train services between Brussels and Prague, and from 29 March, a new route from Paris to Berlin will launch.

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