European Sleeper will connect Holland to Milan in 2026/27 without having to change trains.
The first direct Holland-Italy night train
From the Netherlands to Milan, and vice versa, by train and without changing trains: this will be possible with European Sleeper, which is extending the new Milan-Switzerland-Cologne-Brussels night train with additional stops in Eindhoven, Breda and Antwerp, starting from the European timetable change in mid-December 2026. For the first time in many years, passengers will thus have a direct night train connection between the Netherlands and Italy. The new route extends the Milan service previously announced by European Sleeper, which is scheduled to launch on 9 September 2026 between Milan, Switzerland, Cologne and Brussels for which tickets are already on sale for travel up to 3 January 2027.
Stopping in Breda and Eindhoven
From 14 December 2026, the service will be extended to the Dutch cities of Breda and Eindhoven, creating a more direct and convenient night-time connection between Italy, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Furthermore, Breda and Eindhoven are two strategic stops for reaching Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. In Switzerland, European Sleeper now plans for the train to stop at Aarau instead of Zurich. Aarau offers convenient connections to numerous destinations and is linked to Zurich by frequent Swiss domestic trains, with a journey time of around thirty minutes.
"Overnight in a comfortable and practical way"
“This connection links major European regions overnight in a comfortable and practical way, making international train travel accessible to an ever-increasing number of people,” said Chris Engelsman, co-founder of European Sleeper.
Schedules change from 14 December
With the introduction of the 2027 timetable in mid-December 2026, the operating days of the Milan–Brussels train will also change. Until then, northbound departures are scheduled for Wednesday, Friday and Sunday nights, whilst the return service from Brussels will depart on Monday, Thursday and Saturday evenings. From Monday 14 December, departures from Brussels, the Netherlands and Cologne will be on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings, arriving the following morning in Switzerland, Como and Milan. Trains heading north from Milan and Switzerland will depart on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings, arriving in Cologne, the Netherlands and Brussels on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings.
