Train Over Plane: Why Slow Travel Is Making a Comeback

3. Snälltåget: Infrastructure expansion is making routes possible again

Revival needs tracks and trains, and private operators plus public agencies are investing in both. Scandinavian operator Snälltåget reports demand higher than available berths, which shows real market appetite (The World, Nov 2025). That pressure has encouraged new cross-border services and sleeper launches across Europe, while private initiatives like European Sleeper fill gaps national networks left. Infrastructure investment matters because the economics of night trains improve when lines offer reliable arrival times and high-quality onboard facilities. When tracks are available and timetables make sense, operators can run profitable services with good occupancy rates. That’s what’s happening in parts of Europe and Asia: new routes, refurbished carriages, and joint public-private partnerships that reduce start-up risk. For North America, the observation highlights a constraint and an opportunity. The U.S. needs targeted investments and better corridor integration to scale overnight offerings beyond the handful of long-distance trains that already exist. Still, when capacity and scheduling align, night trains become commercially viable again, which helps explain the recent flurry of route announcements and operator confidence.