AFP reported on the 29th (local time) that night trains running between Paris, France, Vienna, Austria, and Berlin, Germany, are set to end in December due to budget issues.
Austria's Federal Railways (OeBB) said that the French Transport Ministry had notified the National Railway Company (SNCF) that "the government service contract for operating the two night train routes will be terminated in 2026."
Accordingly, the Paris–Vienna and Paris–Berlin routes are not expected to operate starting Dec. 14 this year. These trains, which had previously been suspended, resumed in 2021 and 2023. The average load factor on these routes this year is 70%.
In a statement, SNCF said, "Without state subsidies, it is economically impossible to run (night trains)," and noted, "Operating night trains is indeed an enormous economic challenge."
The French government has provided about 10 million euros (about 16.4 billion won) annually for night train operations. This takes into account the profitability of night trains, which can sell a seat to only one passenger. Daytime trains can resell one seat to multiple passengers.