A new EuroNight service from Basel to Copenhagen and Malmö is launching next spring, creating the first direct overnight rail connection between Switzerland and Scandinavia. Olivia Palamountain reports

Switzerland’s Federal Railways (SBB) is expanding its international night train network with a new EuroNight route linking Basel with Copenhagen and Malmö.

Launching on April 15, 2026 and operated in partnership with RDC Germany, the overnight service will run three times a week year-round, offering travellers a comfortable and climate-friendly alternative to flying. Ticket sales open on November 4.

The timetable has been designed for seamless onward journeys into northern Europe. Trains will depart Basel on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 17.35, arriving in Malmö at 09.35 the following morning. Southbound services will leave Malmö on Thursdays, Saturdays and Mondays at 18:57, reaching Basel at 11.30 the next day.Although the train will not call at Copenhagen Central Station due to scheduling constraints, passengers can reach the city centre within around 15 minutes via S-train connections from either Høje Taastrup or Copenhagen Airport.

The service will offer around 350 places across sleeper cabins, couchettes and seated accommodation, with an accessible compartment and a bistro car between Basel and Padborg. Intermediate stops include Freiburg, Karlsruhe, Mannheim, Frankfurt Süd, Hamburg, Padborg, Kolding, Odense and Høje Taastrup. From Malmö, travellers will be able to make quick onward connections to Stockholm, Gothenburg and other northern cities.

Covering more than 1,400 kilometres, the route underscores a renewed commitment to expanding Europe’s night train network. Markus Hunkel, chief executive of RDC Germany, says the new service will provide “a comfortable, environmentally friendly and practical way to travel overnight”, adding that it represents an important step in strengthening sustainable mobility across the continent.

The EuroNight will receive financial support from the Swiss Confederation under the CO₂ Act, which aims to mitigate the high costs associated with launching new international night train routes. The Swiss government has earmarked around CHF 47 million for night train development through to 2030, although the funding is still subject to parliamentary approval. Should the allocation not be released, the route will not go ahead and any purchased tickets will be refunded in full.

Tickets for the Basel–Copenhagen–Malmö service will be available via SBB Mobile, sbb.ch and SBB travel centres. Pricing will follow existing night train fare structures, varying by comfort level, occupancy and refund flexibility.