Majority of Swiss want trans-European overnight trains

Over 60% of those surveyed were interested in taking overnight trans-frontier train trips if the possibility existed.

The survey commissioned by the Swiss Association for Transport and Environment quizzed 1,209 people throughout Switzerland in spring about their travel habits. Of these, 62% said they were interested in international night train journeys (51% said yes, 11% rather yes than no). Only a quarter of respondents would not use this mode of transportation.

When it comes to preferred destinations, 60% would like night trains to Germany, 48% to Italy, 41% to Austria, 37% to France and 21% to Spain.

Currently overnight services from Zurich to European destinations like Vienna, Hamburg or Berlin are run by the Austrian Federal Railways ÖBB.

At the end of May, the Swiss Federal Railways hinted at potentially running overnight services in the future. However, it warned that this is unlikely to happen soon as the acquisition of new rolling stock is expected to take at least two or three years.