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Brussels to Italy by sleeper train!
Starting 9 September 2026, open-access train operator European Sleeper will add a 3-times-a-week Brussels-Milan sleeper to their existing Brussels-Prague and Paris-Berlin trains, with a connection from London by Eurostar. London to Italy with one easy same-station change!
See the Rhine Valley in the moonlight, wake up to the Swiss Alps on the original scenic Gotthard route, arrive in Italy in time for lunch!
What's the
sleeper train like?
Connecting trains to
Venice, Florence, Rome, Naples
Tips: Luggage, bikes,
pets, food, where to wait
European Sleeper's other routes:
Brussels & Amsterdam
to
Berlin, Dresden, Prague
Station guides:
Train times southbound
Notes for timetable
* = Please read the section about connections to Florence, Rome, Naples.
This is the normal timetable, but times vary due to trackwork so always check your date at www.europeansleeper.eu or int.bahn.de.
By all means book the earlier 11:04 Eurostar from London if you'd like more time in Brussels.
For Andermatt, change at Göschenen. 2 trains per hour link Göschenen with Andermatt, taking 10-12 minutes, www.sbb.ch.
For Luzern, change at Arth-Goldau: 3 trains per hour link Arth-Goldau with Luzern, taking 26-33 minutes, www.sbb.ch.
For Verona & Venice, see the advice here.
For Eurostar information & check-in procedures, see the Eurostar page.
Train times northbound
Notes for timetable
* = Please read the section about connections from Florence, Rome, Naples.
This is the normal timetable, but times vary due to trackwork so always check your date at www.europeansleeper.eu or int.bahn.de.
Coming from Luzern, change onto the sleeper at Arth-Goldau: 3 trains per hour go to Luzern, taking 26-33 minutes, www.sbb.ch.
Coming from Verona & Venice, see the advice here.
Why 14:52 Eurostar back to London, not 12:52? The European Sleeper is sometimes retimed to arrive in Brussels later, I'd play safe!
For Eurostar information & check-in procedures, see the Eurostar page.
How much does it cost?
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London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £51 one-way or £78 return in Standard, £98 one-way, £140 return in Plus (1st class).
Fares work like air fares, so book ahead.
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Brussels to Lugano, Como or Milan by sleeper:
Seat (budget): From €49.
Couchette (classic): From €69 with a couchette in 6-berth or €79 with a couchette in 4-berth.
Couchette made up as sleeper (comfort standard): From €119 per bed triple occupancy, €149 per bed double occupancy, €289 single occupancy.
Sleeper (comfort plus): From €139 with a bed in 3-bed sleeper, €169 with a bed in 2-bed sleeper, €339 with a bed in single-bed sleeper.
All prices per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Children under 4 travel free, without their own berth. Children under 12 travel at a child rate.
If you find fares are expensive on your date, see this money-saving tip!
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Milan to Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples:
From €29.90 in standard class or €39.90 in business class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
How to buy tickets
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Book the sleeper at www.europeansleeper.eu.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, although this may vary.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Book the Eurostar at www.eurostar.com.
By all means book an earlier Eurostar outward or a later one on the return, if this has cheaper fares available or if you'd like more time between trains in Brussels. Booking opens up to 11 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Book onward trains from Milan to Florence, Rome or any other Italian destination at www.thetrainline.com, www.raileurope.com or www.italiarail.com.
Booking usually opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone
Or use an Interrail pass
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If you're making a round trip from the UK, consider using an Interrail pass instead of regular tickets. It can be cheaper, and always more flexible.
A 4-days-in-1-month Interrail pass would cover an outward and return journey from any station in the UK to Italy and back again, covering (1) train travel from your local station to London, (2) Eurostar from London to Brussels (you pay a Eurostar passholder fare), (3) the European Sleeper from Brussels to Milan (you pay a berth reservation fee) and (4) onward trains to any station in Italy (reservation needed).
By all means go one way with European Sleeper, the other way by a different route on daytime trains - with a pass, you can do what you want, and change your mind on the go.
Using an Interrail is often cheaper even with reservation fees added, but it depends what point-to-point fares you see on your dates as these vary like air fares. Passes are cheaper if you're under 28 or over 60 and children under 12 get a free pass, that can swing it. And as a pass covers train travel from wherever you live to London, it's better value if you live in Manchester than Lewisham. You just have to do the maths!
But the real benefit of Interrail is flexibility: It gives you the freedom to reschedule or re-route if your plans change or events intervene, built-in insurance for your journey around Europe. So it can be worth buying a pass even if point-to-point fares are a bit cheaper.
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Step 1, read about how Interrail passes work and buy an Interrail pass at www.thetrainline.com/passes.
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Step 2, make a reservation on the European Sleeper. Go to www.europeansleeper.eu, change 1 Adult to 0 Adults and book however many Reservation only places you need. Reservation only = passholder reservation.
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Step 3, buy a Eurostar passholder fare, I explain how to do this here (I'd check availability before buying a pass).
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Step 4, make a reservation on any onward Italian trains you need, I explain how to do this here.
What's the sleeper train like?
When you book, European Sleeper uses the terms comfort, classic & budget. If you select comfort you'll get a choice between comfort plus, which means beds in the sleeping-car, or comfort standard which means a couchette compartment made up with proper bedding including mattresses and sold as a single, double or triple.
Comfort Standard
= almost as good as a sleeper
Comfort plus = sleeping-car
The train has one or two sleeping-cars, each with 10 compartments which can be sold as single, double or triple with lower, middle & upper berths folded out as required. The beds fold away to reveal seats for evening/morning use. Luggage goes in the large recess over the door to the corridor or over the window. The compartments have normal locks and a security deadbolt which can only be locked & unlocked from inside. There's a washbasin, soap, towel, complimentary slippers and all necessary bedding including a very comfortable duvet. A bottle of drinking water is provided for each passenger. Morning tea or coffee and a breakfast box are included in the fare. There are two toilets at one end of the corridor. Each compartment has a power socket, either above the table between the windows or above the sink unit.
Sleeper berths are sold individually, so one ticket = one bed. If you book 3 tickets in a triple, 2 tickets in a double or a single, you'll get a private room. If you only book 1 or 2 tickets in a triple or 1 ticket in a double you'll share with other passengers (women can book a berth in a women-only compartment if they like).
The stainless-steel AB30 sleeping-car on the European Sleeper at Milan Porta Garibaldi. Click the interior photos for larger images.
Comfort standard = couchette set up as a sleeper
A couple of couchette cars are set up as comfort standard, with compartments sold for single, double or triple occupancy and bunks made up as proper beds with comfy mattress, pillow and duvet. I can personally confirm that the mattress and duvet make the normally quite-hard couchette bunks as comfortable as a proper sleeper and just as private for 1, 2 or 3 people, but without a washbasin and breakfast is optional not included. One advantage over a sleeper is that the window opens.
Berths are sold individually, so one ticket = one bed. If you book 3 tickets in a triple, 2 tickets in a double or a single, you'll get a private room. If you only book 1 or 2 tickets in a triple or 1 ticket in a double you'll share with other passengers (women can book a berth in a women-only compartment if they like).
Comfort Standard car, leased from RDC. This is the inaugural Brussels-Milan sleeper about to leave Brussels Midi on 10 September 2026.
Standard Comfort compartment, bookable as a single, double or triple. Note the comfy mattress & duvet, and the little light on the table!
Classic = 4-berth or 6-berth couchettes
Sold as classic, on this route European Sleeper offer 4-berth or 6-berth compartments, either in air-conditioned couchette cars built for German Railways in the 1990s or older non-air-con couchette cars built in the 1980s. Each car has 9 compartments with 6 berths, upper, middle & lower on each side.
When sold as 4-berth, only 4 of the berths are used. I recommend paying the small amount extra to book a bunk in a 4-berth compartment as that gets you far more space per person, especially when sitting up in the evening and morning as you can spread out.
Each berth is provided with a clean sheet, blanket & pillow. There's a toilet and 1 or 2 washrooms at each end of the corridor. The compartment door has a normal lock and a security chain. A bottle of drinking water is provided for each passenger and you can buy snacks & drinks from the train staff. A light breakfast with tea or coffee can be added to your booking when you buy tickets or bought from staff on board. Compartment windows open, one or two windows in the corridor also open.
Berths are sold individually, so one ticket means one berth, if you book fewer than 4 tickets in a 4-berth or 6 tickets in a 6-berth you'll share with other passengers. Couchette compartments are mixed-gender as you don't normally fully undress, but women can book a berth in a women-only compartment if they like. See couchette car numbering plan. However, if you want sole occupancy of a whole 6-berth compartment for 1-6 people, you'll see a price for a private compartment.
An air-conditioned couchette car leased from RDC on the inaugural Brussels-Milan European Sleeper at Göschenen, about to enter the Gotthard Tunnel.
4 or 6 berth couchettes, daytime mode. The seat back folds outwards and upwards to form the middle couchette. Click the photos for larger images.
Breakfast can be added to your booking or bought on board.
An older non-air-con couchette car on the Brussels-Milan European Sleeper at Brussels Midi. Click interior photos for larger images.
4 or 6 berth couchettes in an older non-air-con car, day mode. The seat back folds outwards and upwards to form the middle couchette.
Budget = seats
Sold as budget, seats are fine for shorter daytime trips on this train, but it's a false economy for an overnight journey, I strongly recommend that you always book a couchette or sleeper. There is just one seats car with ten 6-seat compartments at one end of the train.
What's the journey like?
Rhine Valley by moonlight...
The Brussels-Milan sleeper train takes the classic Rhine Valley line between Koblenz and Mainz, between around 23:00 and midnight, see the route map. So if you're still awake and your compartment is on the river side, switch the lights off, lift the blind and enjoy a moonlight ride along the scenic Rhine Valley, past the Lorelei Rock.
Wake up in the Swiss Alps...
In the morning the train takes the classic Gotthard route through the Swiss Alps between Aarau & Milan. In other words, while the Zurich-Milan Eurocity trains now use the modern 57km (35 mile) long Gotthard Base Tunnel opened in 2016, the European Sleeper still takes the original scenic Gotthard route 'over the top'. For much of the year this will be in daylight in both directions, a real treat. The train calls at Göschenen, where you may have a few minutes to stretch your legs on the platform. It then enters the original 15km (9 mile) long Gotthard Tunnel, an engineering marvel when it was opened in 1882. The train reaches the line’s summit inside the tunnel, some 1,151 metres (3,776 feet) above sea level.
After descending on the southern side of the Alps to call at Bellinzona and Lugano, the European Sleeper runs alongside beautiful Lake Lugano - going south, the lake will be on the left hand side soon after leaving Lugano station, the train then crosses the lake on a causeway and you'll then see the lake on the right hand side.
Good morning Italy!
Just before calling at Como San Giovanni station you'll get a tantalising glimpse of Lake Como on the left hand side, over the roofs of the town.
Above, passing the village of Wassen, high in the Alps just north of Göschenen. Climbing, climbing, climbing...
Above, descending from the Gotthard Tunnel on the classic Gotthard route. The European Sleeper doesn't use the modern Gotthard Base Tunnel.
Above, Lake Lugano northern end, photographed by the author from the inaugural southbound Brussels-Milan sleeper.
Above, Lake Lugano towards the southern end, looking southward after crossing the causeway.
Route map
Connecting trains to Venice, Florence, Rome, Naples
Option 1, book an onward train leaving from Milan Porta Garibaldi
The sleeper arrives at Milan Porta Garibaldi. The timetable above shows a connection to Bologna, Florence & Rome using one of the handful of high-speed Frecciarossas that leave from Porta Garibaldi. This gives you over 3 hours between trains in Milan which is longer than ideal, but it's an easy same-station change and you should allow plenty of time between sleeper and connecting trains in both directions: Southbound, the sleeper could be an hour or two late, northbound you shouldn't risk tight connections with a sleeper to catch.
I have yet to try it myself, but the Café Napoli Porta Garibaldi (www.caffenapoli.com) a 2-minute 150m walk from the station may be a good place to enjoy a coffee or pizza between trains.
Option 2, transfer to Milan Centrale
If you'd like a slicker connection with less time between trains in Milan, you'll have to transfer by metro to/from Milan Centrale. You'll need to do this if your destination is Verona or Venice as there are no suitable connections leaving from Milan Porta Garibaldi. Frecciarossa and Italo trains run at least every hour from Milan Centrale to Verona & Venice, and to Bologna, Florence, Rome & Naples. I'd allow at least 2½ hours between sleeper arrival and any onward train, in case the sleeper is late. Northbound, I'd allow at least 2h between trains in Milan, including time to transfer. The magnificent Milan Centrale is an attraction in its own right, maybe you can spot Mussolini!
Option 3, coffee in Como!
Here's another idea: Get off the sleeper at Como San Giovanni and chill out over a coffee beside Lake Como. And maybe have an early lunch. It's a 12-minute 900m walk from the station to the main square next to the lake. Then take a regional train to Milan Centrale (these leave every hour, taking 41 minutes) and an onward high-speed train to Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples. You can book from Como San Giovanni to your Italian destination as one transaction at www.thetrainline.com, www.raileurope.com or www.italiarail.com.
Tips: Luggage, bikes, pets, food...
Sleeper, couchette or just a seat?
For solo travellers on a budget, a couchette is fine, you get a flat bunk in a safely lockable compartment and can sleep just as well as in a sleeper - never travel in just a seat, always book a couchette or sleeper on a night train for both comfort and security.
For families, a 4 or 6 berth couchette compartment is ideal, you're all together in one compartment and can have a blast - bring a bottle of wine for mum & dad. Paying more for two 2-berth compartments in the sleeping-car probably isn't worth it (unless you've older kids and mum & dad want a break). There are whole-compartment rates for sole occupancy of a 6 berth compartment, or you can add phantom children to your booking to fill a 4 or 6 berth compartment.
The sleeping-car has a quieter, more civilised atmosphere, and it's obviously the best option for solo travellers & couples not budget-limited. Some families and many solo travellers prefer it: A bed in a shared 3-bed sleeper may not cost that much more than a bunk in a 4-berth couchette compartment. In the sleeper, you get a proper fully-made-up bed with duvet.
Berth numbering
It often confuses people when they get berths 21 & 25 and think they aren't together in the same 2-berth sleeper compartment. Of course they are! See how sleepers are numbered. See how couchettes are numbered.
In the 4-berth couchettes, the middle berth number on one side isn't used. However, in some compartments the left hand side has 2 berths, the right hand side 3, in other compartments it's the other way round.
How to check the train formation
You can check the train formation with car numbers and photos of each car at www.vagonweb.cz: Change cs to English, click Train formations and search for European Sleeper.
However, actual formations change, the specific formation of today's departure can be found at www.europeansleeper.eu. Look under Travel info for Train composition.
Boarding the train
At Brussels Midi (and for that matter, Milan Porta Garibaldi or Como San Giovanni going north) there is free access from street to concourse to platform, there are no ticket gates or checks. At stations in the Netherlands, you may have to use your ticket's QR code to open the automatic ticket gates.
The departure board will show which platform to go to. When the train comes in, car numbers are clearly marked by a big number on each entrance door. Find your car, then find your compartment. Staff will come round shortly after departure to check your ticket and reservation. It's that easy!
Luggage
You take your luggage with you into your compartment and simply stick it on the luggage racks above the window, in the big recess over the door to the corridor, or on the floor. Nobody weighs it, measures it, or worries about how much you take. More about luggage on European trains.
Bikes
Unfortunately, bikes aren't carried on the European Sleeper.
Dogs & pets
Dogs and other pets are carried on the sleeper free of charge, as long as you occupy a whole sleeper or couchette compartment.
Pets are not carried on Eurostar, but can be taken on the London-Amsterdam train-ferry-train service to pick up the sleeper in Brussels.
Wheelchairs
Unfortunately, European Sleeper have not been able to get hold of the very few available couchette cars with wheelchair-accessible compartments, but longer term they want to add this facility.
WiFi & power sockets
There's no WiFi, but mobile data reception works fine along most of the route. There are power sockets (European 2-pin type) in most of the couchette compartments. In the sleeping-car, there's a 2-pin socket either above the washstand or between the windows above the table. I always travel with a powerbank.
Food & drink
You can buy snacks & drinks on board from the staff, but for something more substantial bring a picnic and bottle of wine.
In Brussels, I recommend stocking up at the Carrefour Express supermarket at Brussels Midi. Open 7 days a week early until late, they do sandwiches, wraps, pasta bowls & salads - don't forget the wine! If you'd like a late lunch or early dinner near Brussels Midi, see suggested restaurants here.
In Milan, you can stock up at the Carrefour supermarket at Milan Porta Garibaldi, one level down from the main concourse. Simply go down the steps from the concourse signed as Binari/platforms 14-20 and turn left at the bottom. You pass it heading from the main concourse through the subway towards through platforms 14-20 used by the European Sleeper. Open 7 days a week early until late, they also do sandwiches, wraps, salads, beer & wine.
On board the train you'll find a menu card for snacks & drinks in you compartment, including tea, coffee, soft drinks, red & white wine, beer, cava, pringles, nachos & noodles. Order from the train staff, or scan the QR code on the menu and order snacks & drinks on your phone, staff will bring it to your compartment. You can pay in euros or by card.
Where to wait for your train
In Brussels, the Pullman Hotel bar makes the best VIP waiting room away from the hustle and bustle, you'll find a door into the hotel directly from the station, down a passageway opposite the Eurostar check-in, next to the Häagen-Dazs ice cream place, see the photo here. I can recommend their margaritas!
In Milan, the Café Napoli Porta Garibaldi (www.caffenapoli.com) is a 2-minute 150m walk from the station and is a place to linger over a coffee or pizza, although I haven't yet tried it myself.
Always double-check departure time!
Never rely on what your ticket says, always double-check your train's departure time on the day of travel using int.bahn.de and www.europeansleeper.eu.
See general tips & advice for European train travel.
European Sleeper Pass - money saving tip
A European Sleeper Pass gives unlimited travel on European Sleeper for a month starting on any date you choose.
The pass itself costs €149 adult or €99 for children under 12.
In addition to the pass, you must make a reservation-only booking for each trip, but the reservation price is fixed & predictable, not dynamic like regular tickets:
€52 for a couchette in 6-berth, €74 for a couchette in 4-berth, €109 for a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €149 for a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €179 for a bed in a single sleeper.
Buy a pass at www.europeansleeper.eu/passes.
Then make a reservation-only booking like this: Go to www.europeansleeper.eu, reduce the number of adults to 0 and increase number of reservation-only places to however many places you want. The reservation-only price is the same for both adults and children.
Cheaper than a regular ticket even for one journey?
Regular tickets are dynamic like air fares. For example, a single-bed sleeper starts at €159, but on busy dates or at short notice it can exceed €700.
But you'd never pay that. Because you can always buy a European Sleeper Pass for €149 + a single sleeper reservation for €179 = €328.
And 2 people can always pay 2 x €149 European Sleeper Pass + 2 x €149 double sleeper reservation = €596. Maximum!
It's less likely to save money for one trip in a couchette, but you'll just have to do the maths. Whenever the regular fare exceeds the cost of [European Sleeper Pass + reservation-only booking], use a pass! Has that sunk in? Good!
To/from the UK, consider an Interrail pass
An Interrail pass often makes sense for journeys to/from Britain, as an Interrail pass + Eurostar passholder fare + European Sleeper reservation-only booking is often cheaper (as well as far more flexible/refundable) than buying normal point-to-point tickets. You'll just have to check ticket prices for Eurostar and for European Sleeper and do the maths. An Interrail pass also covers travel between your local station and London, that alone can swing it if you live a fair way from the capital! An Interrail pass also gives you built-in insurance as you can reschedule, re-route, switch to other trains or whatever, whenever you like.
About European Sleeper
European Sleeper isn't just an ordinary company, it's on a mission to bring sleeper trains back. Founded by two entrepreneurs with a passion for sleepers, Elmer van Buuren and Chris Engelsman, it has required a huge effort battling railway bureaucracy to get this train up and running. It's been particularly difficult to source serviceable rolling stock as there's so little available for hire, but they've done it and they now have a comfortable and operationally robust train even though it inevitably uses older rolling stock. They are now working on expanding the offer and in the longer term funding and sourcing the modern rolling stock that these services deserve. Let's give them our support!
I was privileged to be at the launch reception for their initial sleeper train on 26 May 2023 at the Pullman Hotel at Brussels Midi. On stage are European Sleeper founders Elmer van Buuren (left) and Chris Engelsman (centre) with Dutch-American comedian Greg Shapiro hosting the event. Photographed by the author.