ÖBB Nightjets

Mobility & Transport Tourism



Pioneer in Europe with more comfort and privacy


Project Facts

Location
Austria

Project Volume
>250 Mio. EUR

Applied Financing Solutions
Public-Private Partnership

Project Dates
Start: 2016

The Story

Business trips and holidays without airplane traveling are possible: ÖBB currently operates 20 Nightjet connections, which should be expanded to 26 lines in the near future. Customer numbers are expected to double from 1.5 million in the pre-Covid 19 era to just under three million people post-Covid.

The overnight train  is used primarily by young people and families. Therefore, the vehicle concept of the "new generation Nightjets" which go into operation in spring 2023 was designed to match this group: The  new generation of Nightjets have two seating cars, three couchette cars and two sleeping cars. In the new couchette car concept, additional mini suites for solo travelers offer even more privacy and ensure a pleasant and relaxed arrival at the destination. Guests in the standard or deluxe sleeping car compartments will find a toilet and shower facilities in their compartment, while families will continue to have family compartments available as before. A new feature on board the new Nightjets is free WLAN, which was previously limited to Railjets on long-distance services.

Customer needs are the focus of the new Nightjets, and a new approach has been adopted to achieve this: The new generation of long-distance trains was consistently developed from the customer's point of view right from the start, and customers were involved in the design process for the development of the new night trains at various stages. As the most climate- and environmentally friendly means of transport, rail can thus replace more and more CO2-intensive short-haul flights.

Success Factor | Hero Moment

While countries like Germany and France discontinued their routes in recent years, ÖBB saw a future and took over many of Deutsche Bahn's abandoned routes, including Munich to Rome and Berlin to Hamburg. "Nightjet" sleeper trains now account for nearly 20 percent of ÖBB's long-distance traffic. Costumer-demand is increasing, not least because passengers want to reduce their environmental footprint and arrive at their destination comfortably and well-rested. With its decision in 2016, early along ÖBB set the course for new Nightjet routes: The new connections to Brussels, Amsterdam (from Vienna, Innsbruck and Zurich) and Paris are milestones for all people traveling by train.

Submitter
ÖBB - Personenverkehr AG, Österreich, Austria

Other Involved Stakeholders
SIEMENS Mobility AG

Contact Mail
raphael.zeissler@pv.oebb.at

Website
www.nightjet.com/de/komfortkategorien/nightjetzukunft

Keywords
Innovation, Public Transport