SJ Euronight
Mark Smith (Seat61) on the inaugural SJ EuroNight departure in 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overview | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First service | 1 September 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current operator(s) |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former operator(s) | Hector Rail (Padborg‒Malmö, 2022‒2024) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | www | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Route | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Termini | Stockholm Central Berlin Hauptbahnhof | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stops | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average journey time | 15 hours | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service frequency | nightly | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Train number(s) |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line(s) used |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| On-board services | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Disabled access | Wheelchair-accessible (PRM) compartment | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Seating arrangements |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sleeping arrangements |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Catering facilities |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Baggage facilities | Private compartment, or second bed required | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating speed | 160 km/h (100 mph) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rake maintenance |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SJ EuroNight (EN 345/346) is a night train service between Stockholm Central Station in Sweden and Berlin Hauptbahnhof in Germany. The overnight train is part of the Euronight (EN) network, and operates with sleeping car, couchette car and seated carriages. A buffet car from SJ AB (Swedish Railways) is attached between Malmö Central and Stockholm.
Contract
In January 2021, bids were invited by Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) for a public service obligation night train connection between Sweden and Germany.[1] The Stockholm‒Germany tender was won by SJ AB, for four-years of service from 2022 until 2026, running on 244 nights per year.[2][3][4] Existing operator Snälltåget did not bid.[1]
Route
The route runs from Stockholm through Sweden to Malmö, across Denmark using the Øresund Bridge, Great Belt Bridge and Little Belt Bridge,[5] then inside Germany via the Rendsburg High Bridge towards Hamburg—initially ending at Hamburg-Altona station.
From 1 April 2023 the service inside Germany was extended via Hamburg Hauptbahnhof to Berlin Hauptbahnhof, running as an open-access operator with SJ operating the extension at its own risk.[6] During the summer months both the Snälltåget and SJ Euronight run night trains on the Berlin‒Stockholm route.[7]
Rolling stock
In 2021 Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) proposed the use of refurbished AB32 sleeping carriages.[1] From the start of service on 1 September 2022 only couchette carriages could be used. After 7 December 2022 sleeping cars started to be added to the SJ Euronight.[8] In 2003, SJ purchased three dining cars from Germany for potential renovation;[8] in the interim, a Swedish RB7 Bistro wagon is coupled to the train between Stockholm‒Malmö.[8] From 3 October 2024, five seated cars were available, thus enabling the previous couchette carriages to return to being available for passengers wishing to sleep.[8]
SJ began operating the train using SJ Rc6 locomotives between Stockholm and Malmö. Alstom Traxx locomotives from Hector Rail were chosen for the journey across Denmark, instead of locomotives from DSB.[9] In mid-December 2024, SJ took over full operation through Denmark to the German border at Padborg using their own drivers, for this SJ use Siemens Vectron locomotives leased from Green Cargo across Denmark.[10] Inside Germany the train is operated with locomotives and crew from BahnTouristikExpress, a part of Railroad Development Corporation, on behalf of SJ.[10]
2026
As of June 2025, the public service obligation contract was due to run until September 2026.[11] During mid-2025, SJ registered future interest in running a night train Oslo‒Copenhagen or Oslo‒Copenhagen‒Hamburg‒Berlin.[11] The night trains would consist of a restaurant wagon, one or two seated carriages (60‒120 seats) and five overnight couchette or sleeping cars (up to 244 beds).[11]
Gallery
-
SJ Rc6 locomotive in Stockholm Central
-
Binnenalster bridge in Hamburg
-
-
Locomotive change at Padborg
-
References
- ^ a b c "Snälltåget will not bid for Stockholm – Brussels night train contract". Railway Gazette International. 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
Trafikverket is currently tendering the night train operation on behalf of the [Swedish] government, which signed an agreement with Denmark earlier this year. … invitation to tender was sent to operators in January [2021], … to prepare for a start of service by 1 August 2022 … ÖBB's Nightjet business is expected to bid, having reportedly invited expressions of interest in refurbishing a batch of AB32 sleeping cars for use on the route.
- ^ Burroughs, David (2021-08-31). "SJ awarded Stockholm - Hamburg overnight contract". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
- ^ "SJ wins Stockholm to Hamburg night train contract". News. Global Railway Review. 2021-09-06. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
Swedish Transport Administration has announced that SJ has won the procurement for Stockholm‒Hamburg night train traffic … Railroad Development Corporation, for staffing, carriages and train driving in Germany … with [couchettes], sleeping cars and sleeping [cars] that have European dimensions. SJ's Swedish carriages are too wide. … four years with a possible two-year extension and covers traffic for 244 days per year. … night trains will be advertised as "SJ EuroNight" … depart Stockholm early in the evening and arrive in Hamburg between 06:00 and 07:00. … departs from Hamburg after 21:00 and arrives in Stockholm at approximately 10:00
- ^ Nyström, Ulf; Hellström, Johan (2024-03-27). "Fortsatta problem för Euronight" [Continued problems for Euronight]. Järnvägar.nu (in Swedish). Retrieved 2025-01-28.
- ^ Dahlberg, Bengt (2021-08-30). "Schweden: SJ EuroNight geht 2022 in Betrieb - Partner DSB und RDC" [Sweden: SJ Euronight operates from 2022 ‒ partners DSB and RDC]. Lok-Report (in German). Retrieved 2025-05-30.
Nach Kopenhagen fahren die Nachtzüge über die Große und die Kleine Beltbrücke und dann weiter nach Hamburg. … Die Beschaffung ist das Ergebnis der im Januar getroffenen Vereinbarung zwischen der Regierung, der Zentrumspartei und den Liberalen ab 2019.
- ^ Rushton, Elizabeth (2023-04-05). "Direkt mit dem Nachtzug nach Stockholm: Funktioniert das überhaupt?" [Direct night train to Stockholm: Does that even work?] (in German). Retrieved 2025-05-30.
eine zweite direkte Nachtzugverbindung zwischen den deutschen und schwedischen Hauptstädten; betrieben wird sie von der schwedischen Staatsbahn SJ. Doch es gibt noch etwas, das diesen Zug besonders macht – es ist die einzige Verbindung auf der Tafel, für die kein Bahnsteig angezeigt wird. Fährt der Zug überhaupt? … Das Nachtzugangebot des Privatbetreibers Snälltåget soll es weiterhin geben. … hatte mich bereits vorgewarnt, dass die meisten deutschen Passagiere in Hamburg zusteigen. … Um Mitternacht wache ich noch einmal auf, um im dänischen Padborg meinen Reisepass vorzuziehen, aber bin fast sofort wieder eingeschlafen.
- ^ Neumann, Peter (2023-09-13). "Ausgebucht: Zwischen Stockholm und Berlin ist ein Nachtzug nicht genug" [Booked out: Between Stockholm and Berlin one night train is not enough]. Berliner Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2025-05-30.
der Euronight der schwedischen Staatsbahn SJ weiterhin über Hamburg hinaus bis Berlin fahren. Statens Järnvägar, kurz SJ, mit ihrem deutschen Partner BTE und Snälltåget, Teil der französischen Transdev-Gruppe. Beide zeigen sich mit der Nachfrage zufrieden, … Nach einem Vergabeverfahren bekam SJ den Auftrag, zwischen Stockholm und Hamburg eine tägliche Nachtzugverbindung einzurichten. Später entschied das Unternehmen, die vom Staat bezuschusste und für bis zu zehn Jahre finanzierte Route auf eigenes Risiko in die deutsche Hauptstadt zu verlängern. Die Premierentour des EN 346 nach Dänemark und Schweden, dessen Wagen RDC Deutschland gehören, begann am 1. April 2023 in Berlin. Die eigenwirtschaftliche Fortführung war als Test gedacht, der am 30. September [2023] enden sollte. Nun bekräftigte der Betreiber, dass der Zug weiterfährt – auch 2024.
- ^ a b c d Dahlberg, Bengt (2024-10-09). "Dänemark/Schweden: SJ fährt die Nachtzüge nach Berlin bis Padborg mit eigenen Lokführern" [Denmark/Sweden: SJ drives the Berlin night trains to Padborg with its own drivers]. Lok-Report (in German). Järnvägar. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
Am [2022-12-07] war die Premiere der Schlafwagen. … Seit letzter Woche, [2024-10-03], verfügen beide Züge nun auch noch über einen Sitzwagen. … "Jetzt, da wir fünf Sitzwagen zur Verfügung haben, können wir unsere Liegewagen endlich als Liegewagen nutzen und damit mehr Reisenden die Möglichkeit geben, einen Liegeplatz in unseren Zügen zu wählen", sagt Christer Litzell. … SJ hat vor einem Jahr drei gebrauchte Restaurantwagen aus Deutschland … gekauft … Während des Wartens auf die Restaurantwagen setzt SJ in den Zügen auf der Strecke Stockholm-Malmö Bistrowagen vom Typ RB7 ein.
- ^ Planinski, Konstantin (2022-05-04). "No DSB traction for SJ's night trains to Hamburg; first car appears". EU / Expert. Railcolor. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
- ^ a b Wintle, Thomas (2024-10-24). ""Very, very complicated": SJ reveals hidden hurdles of taking Denmark night trains in-house". Rail Tech. Retrieved 2024-01-28.
- ^ a b c Nyström, Ulf (2025-06-24). "SJ kan köra nattåg Oslo–Köpenhamn". Järnvägar.nu (in Swedish). photographer Kasper Dudzik. Archived from the original on 2025-07-01. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
SJ har också anmält till Jernbanetilsynet att företaget kan komma att inleda nattågstrafik antingen mellan Oslo och Berlin via Göteborg, Malmö och Hamburg eller mellan Oslo och Köpenhamn med vagnar till och från Stockholm. Nattågen kan, enligt anmälan, bestå av Rc6- eller Vectronlok samt fem sov- och liggvagnar, en-två sittvagnar och en restaurangvagn. Antal sov- och liggplatser anges till 244 och antalet sittplatser till 60–120. … Avtalet mellan Trafikverket och SJ om nattågstrafik mellan Stockholm och Padborg … löper ut i september 2026.
External links
- Official website
- Media related to SJ EuroNight at Wikimedia Commons