Night train revolution: Direct connection from Basel to Malmö from 2026!

Night train revolution: Direct connection from Basel to Malmö from 2026!

From 2026, the Swiss Federal Railway (SBB) plans to introduce a new night train between Basel and Malmö. This innovative connection offers an environmentally friendly alternative to the plane and leads over Germany and Denmark with a stop in Copenhagen. The estimated travel time is 13 to 14 hours. The night train is operated by the Railroad Development Corporation (RDC) and SBB and could thus represent the first direct night train connection between Switzerland and Sweden for over a decade. According to Reisetopia.de there are still no approved timetables and booking options that are expected to be published in late 2025. The demand for cross -border night trains is currently high. However, there are still official permits and financing.

In the meantime, SBB has targeted the view of a direct connection to London. On May 8, 2025, a declaration of intent was signed in London to strengthen cross -border rail traffic between Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Due to the fact that Great Britain is not in the Schengen area, special passenger controls and special terminals at the train stations are required. An agreement between Switzerland, France and the United Kingdom is also necessary to make the connection. The Federal Council is planning to make a decision in the coming year, but a fixed start date has not yet been determined.

expanded plans and requirements

The SBB has been carrying out a feasibility study since 2022 to advance the realization of the direct connection to London from 2030. CEO Vincent Ducrot emphasizes that although there is a demand for longer train trips, there are also major challenges. An important prerequisite for the success of these projects remains the necessary infrastructure: check-in terminals for border controls, conversions at train stations, space on rails and new routes, especially in the euro tunnel, are crucial.

In order to promote cross -border traffic, the SBB has further direct connections into planning, including goals such as Rome and Barcelona as well as the already mentioned connection to Copenhagen and Malmö next year. From 2024, progress in digitization should make it possible to conveniently buy international train tickets via the SBB Mobile app. In 2024, the highest number of transported travelers, namely 1.39 million in local and long-distance transport, was also achieved, which underlines the growing importance of rail travel. Despite an annual profit of CHF 275 million, SBB Cargo Switzerland recorded a loss of CHF 76 million.