Conference Agenda

The provision of overnight train services in Europe has contracted very substantially over the last 30-40 years, from the comprehensive continent-wide network which existed in the late 1980s to the discontinuous and fragmented pattern of services which operate in 2025. However, while there is a prevailing narrative of a long-term and general decline in service provision, there has been very little geographical analysis of the extent of changes in provision or of geographic differences in the effects of different factors on overnight train operations. Yet, in the last few years, after a long scaling-down, there has been a certain revival of overnight trains, which seems to be affected by increasing interest in railways as an environmentally-friendly transport mode. Given this recent revival of interest in overnight trains and some limited expansion of services, there is a need to gain a better understanding of how service patterns have evolved in the past, and the geographic factors which have influenced this evolution, in order to inform future planning.

This paper aims to help meet this need by undertaking a quantitative analysis of changes in overnight train service provision from the late 1980s through to the present day. The analysis is based on case studies of eight European countries (Czechia, France, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, and the UK), in order to permit comparison of trends in provision in different geographic and socio-economic contexts. A major challenge in any analysis of long-term changes in public transport service provision is the lack of historical data on such services in a form suitable for computational analysis. This issue has been addressed here by manually digitising data from a range of paper timetable books, providing a detailed and comprehensive picture of the overnight services which operated at four points in time. This data is used to summarise changes in the provision of both domestic and international overnight trains in the case study countries across the study period, and to consider how both trends in this provision and the factors influencing these trends vary across Europe. Both similarities and contrasts between the geographies of these trends are highlighted, and key factors which have influenced the trends are discussed, such as geopolitical processes and events resulting in changes in the porosity of international borders, competition from road transport and low cost airlines, and the 'liberalisation' of the rail market in the EU.

Night trains in Europe have garnered significant attention in recent years. The introduction of new services by both established operators and new entrants has opened new markets, attracting interest from customers, the media, and policymakers alike. It raises the question of whether night trains can evolve into a viable, environmentally friendly alternative to air travel or if they are destined to remain a niche market confined to a few routes with limited frequencies. This issue can be examined from both demand and supply perspectives. From the demand side, the critical question is whether enough potential customers will use these services. From the supply side, the focus is on whether sufficient services can be provided to meet this demand. This paper concentrates on the supply perspective of night train services. We interviewed operators in Central Europe to gain insights into their views on the opportunities and limitations of the development of night trains in Europe. These interviews identified several critical obstacles to the broader expansion of night trains in Europe, including infrastructure bottlenecks, high investment costs for new rolling stock, low profitability, high risks, challenges with cross-border operations, and operational difficulties. Based on this evidence, the conclusion is that while night trains may remain an interesting niche market, they are unlikely to become a serious alternative to air travel unless significant public policy support is implemented.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly transformed transportation patterns worldwide, leading to profound shifts in the spatial and temporal dynamics of railway demand. This study aims to examine the changes in rail demand in the United Kingdom caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, in terms of geographical variations. The research focuses on identifying the key factors affecting changes in demand by comparing rail usage trends before and after the pandemic.The main objective is to identify and analyse how economic restructuring, hybrid working models, environmental awareness and changes in regional mobility are driving these transformations. In particular, we focus on how these factors are reshaping the demand for commuter lines and leisure travel compared to long-distance travel.

The study analysed rail passenger data across the UK and compared it with pre-pandemic trends. The data revealed the geographical distribution of changes in passenger numbers, differences in types of travel (business, leisure, day trips) and demographic impacts. In addition, the impact of economic and socio-demographic factors (e.g. income levels, hybrid working rates and regional population density) on demand patterns was assessed. In terms of methodology, the study adopts a mixed methods approach combining quantitative data analysis with qualitative insights from industry stakeholders. Longitudinal passenger flow data covering the years 2018-2024 were examined using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to reveal geographically distinct changes in demand patterns.

Preliminary findings suggest that rail demand, particularly in large cities and business centers like London, has decreased significantly compared to pre-pandemic levels, while demand remains more resilient in suburban areas. The spread of hybrid working has led to a decrease in business travel, while recovery in leisure and personal travel has been faster. In addition, access to transportation infrastructure and the level of economic recovery have been found to shape geographical differences in demand patterns.

This study aims to contribute to the literature on understanding the long-term effects of Covid-19 on railway demand. The findings provide important information for planning transportation policies and optimizing railway operations. A better understanding of regional differences is considered an important step towards the development of sustainable transportation strategies.

This contribution addresses train categories as they appear in train timetables and explores two main questions: firstly, how meaningful individual train categories are in some European countries in terms of their quality features (equipment, classes) and other classification criteria (stop patterns, speed, route length). Secondly, it examines whether a meta-classification can be developed at the European level to which existing – or subsequently differentiated – train categories in the countries under study could be assigned.

With the introduction of train categories such as the Trans-Europ-Express, EuroCity, or EuroNight, as well as the InterCity on a national level, minimum standards were established for the European rail network. This allowed passengers to generally anticipate the type of train they were boarding. The introduction of new train categories – often accompanied by the replacement of older categories or the reorganization of line networks – has been part of the history of every national railway. This process has sometimes resolved confusion but has also raised new questions, especially when a train category changes along a route (e.g., from InterCity to RegionalExpress) without clear schedule adjustments, or when stop patterns are altered.

The liberalization of rail transport has also led to the emergence of new train categories in national timetables, whether through branded train names (e.g., Railjet, Frecciarossa) or names derived from railway companies (e.g., Westbahn in Austria). This development has further diversified the landscape of train categories.

In an era of real-time information and train-specific ticketing, where many passengers rely on customized timetable inquiries, the significance of traditional train categories may seem diminished. However, the question arises whether standardization at the European level would be beneficial, especially in light of efforts to shift more travelers from cars and airplanes to trains for environmental reasons. Issues such as delays or train cancellations that lead to missed connections can become particularly frustrating when the purchased ticket is not recognized on the next available train.

An example of a streamlined train category system can be found in Switzerland, often referred to as the "rail country of Europe." There, private railways generally adopt the standard categories used by SBB, although exceptions exist, particularly for international services.

In this conference contribution, conceptual ideas will be presented on how various train categories could be made more uniform. The author examines the train categories of selected Central European countries – including Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Czechia, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and Italy – and looks for commonalities and differences based on key criteria.

It should be noted that the author is not an expert in railway research. Instead, he approaches the topic as an enthusiastic Interrail traveler, employing a qualitative approach based on internet and literature research as well as targeted inquiries of passenger information systems. A comprehensive quantitative analysis is not feasible due to a lack of access to relevant databases. Therefore, this contribution is independent from his ofter research activites at the IFZ and thus to be seen private. This contribution acts as an impulse for further research on this topic.