Londoners can now book train journeys to destinations including Italy, Germany and the Czech Republic using a new booking service that combines Eurostar and overnight sleeper trains.
The new service, introduced by night train operator European Sleeper, allows travellers to combine a cross-Channel ticket with night train services from Brussels.
One booking, multiple trains
This development eliminates the need to use separate websites for different legs of a journey.
The integrated booking tool is the result of a partnership between European Sleeper and the Dutch train ticket platform Choo-Choo.
The service enables travellers to search for connections compatible with routes beyond the European Sleeper network, and offers suggestions for suitable trains and transfer advice.
Other destinations served by European Sleeper include Lake Como, Dresden and Hamburg. Ticket prices vary depending on the final destination.
How it works
A one-way Eurostar ticket to Brussels starts at £51, while fares for the European Sleeper begin at £42.
Previously, travellers wishing to journey beyond European Sleeper’s network had to book separate tickets on different platforms. Now, with the new tool, a transfer at Brussels can be made smoothly without the extra hassle.
The Eurostar, starting at St Pancras International, connects London with Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels directly. With the new tool, Brussels can be used as a gateway to further destinations across Europe.
Choo-Choo’s chief executive, Manuela Talana, said: “This new partnership between Choo-Choo and European Sleeper allows us to realise our mission to make train travel across Europe as hassle-free and accessible as possible.”
The sleeper revival
Night trains are enjoying a renaissance across Europe. After decades of decline — as budget airlines undercut them on price and speed — sleeper services are coming back.
The reasons are partly environmental. A growing number of travellers want to reduce their carbon footprint, and trains produce a fraction of the emissions of short-haul flights.
But it’s also about the experience. There’s something romantic about falling asleep in one country and waking up in another. For many, the journey is part of the holiday.
European Sleeper, a Dutch-Belgian cooperative, has been at the forefront of this revival. Its services from Brussels to Berlin, Prague and beyond have proved popular with travellers seeking an alternative to flying.
Why Brussels matters
Brussels is the key to unlocking Europe by train from London. The Eurostar gets you there in under two hours from St Pancras. From there, the continent opens up.
The challenge has always been the booking. European rail is fragmented — different operators, different ticketing systems, different websites. Planning a multi-leg journey could take hours of research.
The new tool promises to simplify that. By integrating Eurostar and European Sleeper bookings, it removes one of the biggest barriers to choosing the train over the plane.
What it means for Londoners
For Londoners, this is good news. The capital is already one of the best-connected cities in Europe by rail, thanks to the Eurostar. This new service extends that connectivity deeper into the continent.
Imagine: dinner in London, sleeper train from Brussels, breakfast in the Alps. Or a weekend in Berlin without the airport hassle. These are the kinds of trips the new booking tool makes easier.
The prices are competitive too. At £51 for Eurostar to Brussels and £42 for the sleeper onwards, a journey to Germany or Italy can cost less than a budget flight — especially once you factor in airport transfers and baggage fees.
And unlike flying, you arrive rested, in the city centre, with no liquid restrictions and no middle-seat lottery.
London Streets has been covering Thameslink delays at St Pancras and the M25 crash near Merstham.
