All you need to know about the Basel-Malmö night train

Yay, the night train to Sweden is coming (after all)! After years of political back and forth (details see this blog post in German), the Swiss government has spoken out in favour of supporting the new line from Switzerland through Germany and Denmark to Sweden. On 10 July 2025, the Swiss Federal Office of Transport (FOT) announced the details of the support (press release in German). We have summarised the answers to the most important questions below. Not everything is known yet; where we do not (yet) know something, we will indicate this. We plan to update the overview on a regular basis.

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When does the Basel-Malmö service start?

The night train is scheduled to run from April 2026 according to the FOT's press release.

Where does the night train stop?

A stopover in Copenhagen in the morning has been confirmed. The Zugpost assumes that the train will also stop in Freiburg, Offenburg and Frankfurt - possibly also in Hamburg, although there is already a Nightjet connection there. But that is speculation. The timetable will provide clarity.

What facilities are there on board?

In all likelihood, there will be classic couchette coaches with 6 and 4-berth compartments as well as sleeper compartments with washbasins and up to three beds. WC and washroom facilities will be located in the corridor.
Background: The train will be operated as a co-operation between SBB and RDC Germany (ÖBB is exceptionally not on board). The latter already provide the carriages for the night train from Zurich and Basel to Amsterdam (the two Niks have written a trip report here). As the Nightjets of the new generation will be used on this route from December 2025, it is reasonable to assume that these RDC carriages will be used for services to Sweden in future. SBB itself has expressed this view to Swiss radio. This means that older wagons, which have often been prone to faults in the past, will tend to be used. However, as these will not be used daily on the new route (see next section), the failure rate is likely to be lower.

How frequently will the train run?

This is indicated in the FOT's press release: the train will ‘only’ run three times a week and in each direction. However, nothing is yet known about the exact frequency and the constellation of outward and return journeys.

When will tickets be available to buy?

We assume that this will be possible from the timetable change in December this year.

How much will the tickets cost?

We can only speculate about this at the moment. We assume that the tickets will be similar to those for the Zurich - Amsterdam connection (not least because the same rolling stock will be used). In other words, from CHF 100 for a seat in a couchette carriage, from CHF 150 for a seat in a sleeper carriage (in a triple constellation with two other passengers).

How long will the night train to Malmö be available?

Heretical question, yes. But it's a valid one, because night trains are rarely profitable under the current circumstances and are often dependent on subsidies. For the time being, federal funding runs until 2030 - so we should be able to enjoy the train for at least five years.