New Sleeper Train to Run from Paris to Berlin
7
Advanced
Vocabulary
Repeat each word, definition, and example sentence after your tutor.
operatorNounˈɑːpəreɪtər
a person or organization that runs a business or service
Greyhound is the largest bus operator in the US.
subsidizeVerbˈsəbsɪˌdaɪz
to pay some of the cost of certain goods or services
The course is subsidized by the government. 
petitionNounpəˈtɪʃən
a written request for something to be done that is signed by many people
The petition has already collected thousands of signatures.
step inPhrasal Verbstep ɪn
to become involved in a situation or task
My supervisor had to step in after the customer started yelling at me.
compartmentNounkəmˈpɑːrtmənt
a separate, enclosed part of a structure or container
The first-class compartment had very comfortable leather seats.
profitableAdjectiveˈprɑːfɪtəbəl
making or likely to make money
After several years of hard work and strategic planning, the company finally became profitable.
Article
Read the article aloud on your own or repeat each paragraph after your tutor.New Sleeper Train to Run from Paris to BerlinOvernight sleeper trains have become increasingly popular across Europe as a more environmentally-friendly way to explore the continent. However, earlier this year, Austrian train operator ÖBB said it would be ending its popular Nightjet sleeper service between Paris and Berlin in December 2025.
ÖBB said this was because the French government would no longer subsidize the service. The news led to protests and a petition was signed by over 92,000 people who called for the route to be saved.
Now, a Dutch-Belgian company called European Sleeper has stepped in to announce that it will run a new service between the French and German capitals.
From 26 March 2026, European Sleeper's Paris to Berlin train will leave from Paris three times a week, on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. The Berlin to Paris service will leave from Berlin on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
While European Sleeper has not confirmed the precise details yet, The Guardian reports that the stations used will likely be Paris Gare du Nord and Berlin's Hauptbahnhof and Ostbahnhof.
While the service is brand new, the train will be less so. European Sleeper co-founder Chris Engelsman said that the company will rent coaches from Germany that were made in the 1990s, but that these will still offer a similar level of comfort to those on the ÖBB Nightjet.
There will be between 12 to 14 cars on the new service, with space for 600 to 700 passengers. Tickets will go on sale from December 16, 2025, and will start from around $70 for a one-way trip in a shared compartment.
However, passengers will need to bring their own food because the train will not have a dining car. Engelsman said the company has not yet found a way to include one that would be profitable, as both the kind of car required and the staff it would need would be very expensive.
Discussion
Have a discussion based on the following questions.- What are your thoughts on the new sleeper train between Paris and Berlin?
- Have you ever taken an overnight train? Was it comfortable?
- Do you find it easy to sleep on trains or buses?
- Have you ever traveled between different countries by train or bus?
- Would you rather spend a week in Paris or Berlin?
Further Discussion
Have a discussion based on the following questions.- Have you used trains abroad? How do they compare to your country's trains?
- What do you enjoy most about traveling by train?
- What's the longest train ride you've been on?
- How long does it take to travel between your country's largest cities?
- Are there any famous trains or routes you'd like to go on someday?