Last week, the independent operator European Sleeper launched a new direct rail service between Belgium and the Alps – stopping in the Netherlands, Germany and Austria along the way.

The ALLRAIL team (Nick Brooks, Katharina Dekeyser, Salim Benkirane and Aurélie Csizmazia) celebrated the launch event of the independent operator European Sleeper's new long-distance service between Belgium and the Alps, crossing several internal EU borders along the way.

In her interview with Swedish news outlet DN, SJ's CEO Monica Lingegård said: “Given the regions’ finances and the need to be careful with taxpayers' money, you need to ensure that you do not compete with commercial traffic unnecessarily. That we let commercial traffic live and grow in a good way”. However, it seems SJ's stance on taxpayer-funded competition changes depending on which side of the subsidy cheque they are on.

Nick Brooks, secretary general of ALLRAIL, a pressure group representing non-state train operators, told CNN that national rail companies have an unfair advantage over new entrants.

“Politicians must be clear: the night train market will be effectively closed for a very long time,” he says. “This runs contrary to the goals of the single EU rail market – which is madness when a clear and efficient alternative model already exists.”

“While the lop-sided nature of the financing market persists, there must be correctional action,” says Mr Nick Brooks, secretary general of the Alliance of Passenger Rail New Entrants (AllRail).

“All rolling stock operators should receive the same financing terms as state-owned rail incumbents, if necessary, with a similar type of state-backed guarantee. This should remain the case until the rail financing market achieves a similar level of maturity as, say, the aviation or bus sector.”