The debut journey of the Good Night Train from Brussels to Berlin, departing Amsterdam on the evening of May 26.
Photographer: Ksenia Kuleshova/Bloomberg
A Night Train Through Europe’s Heart Has a Lot Riding On It
The success or failure of a new, no-frills service from Brussels to Berlin could set a precedent for future startup routes.
Brussels Midi isn’t the most seductive of Europe’s railway stations. The modern hub in the Belgian capital lacks the gothic 19th century splendor of St. Pancras in London and Centraal Station in Amsterdam, or the marble shrine to Roman heritage in Milan.
It’s here, though, where passengers are boarding a new night service from the nexus of the European Union to the capital of its most powerful economy, Berlin. And there’s a lot more riding on the three-times-a-week return route than just the tourists, backpackers and pensioners.