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One cause is that France is rather obstinate when it comes to sleeper trains passing through, but not stopping in, France. A direct line from the Netherlands an
by Freak_NL 4y ago
One cause is that France is rather obstinate when it comes to sleeper trains passing through, but not stopping in, France. A direct line from the Netherlands and Belgium to Spain (e.g., Barcelona) would be viable and possible on standard gauge, but it wouldn't make sense to stop in Paris at 2:00 in the night or so. SNCF and the relevant French agencies insist on trains serving France as well.
Maybe some company will manage with a perfunctory stop in Perpignan?
- flal_ 4y agoYou van already do Bruxelles to Perpignan with a direct ( french ) TGV train, in 6/7 hours. If you want to go to Spain I believe bruxelles Barcelona via Paris is also quite practical. Everything is much pricier than plane and no night train though
- twic 4y agoI've done Paris to Barcelona on a sleeper to Perpignan and an express from there. I think for people who like sleeper trains, a through service would be far more convenient, even if it stopped in Perpignan early in the morning. I suspect there is not a lot of track capacity across the Pyrenees, though, which would mean the sleeper train would have to get in before the morning expresses start.
- IIAOPSW 4y agoI have a solution from yesteryear for you. Behold, the slip coach. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq0aA9RZ1ls https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq0aA9RZ1ls The train passes through France non stop. Along the way, around 2AM, a single carriage decouples from the end and smoothly glides into a Paris terminal, where it functions as a de facto hotel room for the night as guests won't be kicked out until morning. Will anyone use it? IDK. But it does satisfy the requirement of stopping in France.