On the busy route between Hamburg and Munich, where dozens of planes fly every day, an alternative capable of changing the habits of business travelers will appear in March 2027. The Berlin startup Nox Mobility is launching a night train with individual "Nox Suites" — spaces that serve as a workplace by day and at night turn into a two-meter lie-flat area by the window.
Each passenger gets a separate module with a large seat, a table, power outlets and space for large luggage. Sliding doors provide privacy, and food can be ordered in advance and received right on the spot. The trains will run three times a week in each direction with stops in Bremen and Augsburg: departure from Hamburg at 21:22, arrival in Munich at 8:14; in the opposite direction — from Munich at 21:20, arrival in Hamburg at 8:27. A one-way ticket starts at 65 euros.
The project did not come out of nowhere. In Germany and Europe, interest in night trains is growing as a more environmentally friendly and comfortable option compared with short-haul flights. Nox Mobility positions its trains as a hybrid of a train and a boutique hotel: the passenger saves time on flights and hotel stays while retaining the ability to work or rest in personal space. Full-fledged enclosed cabins for one or two people are planned to be introduced only by 2029, and for now there is precisely the lounge option with a lie-flat position.
The choice of this particular route is no accident: Hamburg–Munich is among the busiest domestic destinations in Germany. The trains will start with a frequency of three times a week, but the company intends to gradually expand the schedule. Additional services — a shower, coworking or hotel booking upon arrival — can be added when purchasing a ticket on the website noxmobility.com, which is already open for booking.
The launch of Nox Mobility fits into a broader trend: European operators are bringing back and developing night routes, striving to offer an alternative to aviation with a smaller carbon footprint. For passengers, this is a chance to spend the night productively or peacefully without losing a day to flights and transfers. Whether the project will be successful, time will tell, but even now it demonstrates how private initiatives can complement traditional railway networks.
