Europe was promised a new golden age of the night train. Why are we still waiting?

This summer, as you stand in interminable queues at an airport, or stare at the bumper of the car ahead of you in a traffic jam, remember all of this could be better. We need a night-train renaissance

The only way to offer more night-train routes is to build new trains, writes Jon Worth

As Europeans woke up to the joy of travel post-lockdown, it looked as though we were in store for a resurgence of continent-crossing night trains. Sleeper train fans hailed a “night train renaissance” and a “rail revolution”, combining some of the nostalgia for an old way of travelling with modern climate and sustainable transport concerns.

The long-distance European train journey might be slower than a short-haul flight, but it is surely better in terms of the environment and the traveller experience. For those on a budget, the prospect of saving on a night in a hotel appeals too.