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Back to Sleeper Trains: Brussels to Milan by Night Train
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Brussels to Milan by Night Train

Brussels · Milan

Timetable-checked:1 train · 18h 24m on board
1 daySuggested duration
2 stopsIconic cities
OvernightSleeper
75% Lower CO₂Than flying (est.)

“North Sea weather at dinner, Italian light at breakfast.”

Suggested
1 day
Stops
2
On board
18h 24m

Overnight · Timetable-checked · 75% lower CO₂ than flying (est.)

Overview

One night train links the Belgian capital with Lombardy, following the Rhine south and crossing Switzerland on the way. Milan rewards two full days, and Lake Como is a short regional ride away.

“Belgian chocolate, then Italian lakes.”

The route

  1. Brussels, photographed for Wikimedia CommonsBrussels · Day stopChocolate, comics and the European quarter.
    European SleeperES 40119:06 → 13:30 · 18h 24mTimetable-checked
    ES 401 · European SleeperBruxelles-Midi - Brussel-Zuid → Milano Porta Garibaldi (superficie)19:06 → 13:30
    1. Bruxelles-Midi - Brussel-ZuidDep 19:06
    2. Verviers-CentralArr 20:35 · Dep 20:37
    3. Aachen HauptbahnhofArr 21:07 · Dep 21:13
    4. Köln HbfArr 21:56 · Dep 22:07
    5. AarauArr 06:55 · Dep 07:00
    6. Arth-GoldauArr 08:00 · Dep 08:02
    7. GöschenenArr 09:01 · Dep 09:21
    8. BellinzonaArr 10:22 · Dep 10:25
    9. LuganoArr 11:09 · Dep 11:12
    10. Como San GiovanniArr 12:30 · Dep 12:30
    11. Milano Porta Garibaldi (superficie)Arr 13:30
  2. Milan, photographed for Wikimedia CommonsMilan · 1 nightFashion, Leonardo and a Gothic cathedral.

Timetable-checked on 12 October 2026 for travel on 2026-10-13

Suggested tickets

Suggestions only. Trainlink doesn't sell tickets: check prices, coverage and reservation rules with the seller.

The experience

Brussels, photographed for Wikimedia Commons Brussels - A city of many layersBrussels

From the Atomium to the EU

The Atomium, built for the 1958 World's Fair, rises like a giant steel molecule on the northern edge of the city. Closer to the centre, the glass buildings of the European quarter house the Parliament and the Commission.

The royal quarter

On the hill above the old town, the Royal Palace faces the park of Brussels. The Royal Museums of Fine Arts, including a museum devoted to Magritte, stand nearby on the Mont des Arts with views back over the spires below.

Chocolate and musselsFood

Brussels is a city of chocolatiers, and the Grand Sablon is lined with their shops. In the lanes off the Grand Place, mussels come steamed in pots with a cone of frites.

Meyboom and OmmegangTraditions

Every August the city plants a maypole, the Meyboom, in a ceremony that goes back to the Middle Ages. In early summer the Ommegang pageant fills the Grand Place with costumes and horses.

Brussels → Milan18:48 → 13:5519h 7mdirectTimetable-checked

Down the Rhine and under the Alps

The night train leaves Brussels in the evening and runs east to Cologne, then south along the Rhine through Germany. It enters Switzerland in the early hours of the morning. By breakfast it has crossed the Alps and is running down into the plain of Lombardy.

Milan, photographed for Wikimedia Commons
Milan, photographed for Wikimedia Commons
Milan, photographed for Wikimedia Commons
Milan - Italy's northern capitalMilan
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The Duomo

Milan's cathedral took nearly six centuries to finish, and its roof bristles with spires and statues. You can walk across its marble terraces among them, with the Alps on the horizon on a clear day.

Leonardo's Last Supper

Leonardo da Vinci painted The Last Supper on the refectory wall of Santa Maria delle Grazie in the 1490s. Visits are short and timed, so book tickets well ahead.

Brera and the Navigli

The cobbled streets of Brera lead to one of Italy's great picture galleries. In the evening the old canals of the Navigli fill with people out for aperitivo.

Risotto and aperitivoFood

Saffron risotto alla milanese and the breaded veal cutlet are the city's classic dishes. In the early evening, bars set out snacks with a spritz or a Negroni.

Fashion, design and operaTraditions

Twice a year fashion week fills the city with shows, and every April the furniture fair turns whole districts into design exhibitions. On the seventh of December the opera season opens at La Scala.

The train

European Sleeper, photographed for Wikimedia Commons
European Sleeper, photographed for Wikimedia Commons
European Sleeper, photographed for Wikimedia Commons
European Sleeper - Overnight to the Italian lakes
European Sleeper

Classic carriages, refitted

The train runs on older carriages that have been refurbished for a second life, with compartments off a long corridor and windows that still open. It is a practical night train rather than a luxury hotel, and its friendly crew are a big part of its charm.

Seat, couchette or bed

The cheapest way to travel is a seat in a shared compartment. Couchettes turn a compartment into berths at night, with sheets, a blanket and a pillow, and sleeping cars give more space and privacy. Compartments can be shared or booked privately for a group or family.

Night trains, brought back

The company behind the train is a young cooperative set up to bring direct night trains back between European cities. Part of its money came from members of the public who wanted to see those trains return.

Photo credits

About the train, not a timetable. Services, carriages and seasons change: check with the operator that it runs on your dates.

Practical info

Booking

Trainlink doesn't sell tickets. Check each leg with the operator or a retailer before you travel.

Reservations

Night trains need a reservation for a seat, couchette or bed, and rail passes do not include it. Book early for a private compartment.

Running days

The night train does not run every day, so plan the stops around its departures.

Best time to travel

Late spring and September are mild in Milan and bright on the lake, without the heat of high summer.

Trainlink plans journeys; operators and retailers sell the tickets.