‘Sleepers Awake? The impact of market liberalisation on the evolution of overnight rail services in Europe’

Blainey, Simon (2022) ‘Sleepers Awake? The impact of market liberalisation on the evolution of overnight rail services in Europe’. International Geographical Union Centennial Congress, , Paris, France. 18 - 22 Jul 2022.

Record type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)

Abstract

The provision of night trains in Europe has been gradually declining for several decades, as a result of the liberalisation of short-haul aviation and the expansion of daytime HSR services. There are though increasing signs of a revival in demand for overnight services, accompanied by a number of proposals for additional night train services. However, the expanded networks that are emerging seem likely to be profoundly unequal, with some city pairs being served by multiple operators while other major cities and regions are omitted entirely. This paper aims to assess the relative importance of political, regulatory, operational, financial and social factors in driving spatial and temporal variations in the provision of night train services in Europe. It will analyse changes in the pattern of overnight rail services in Europe over the last century, focusing particularly on the impact of changing levels of market liberalisation and the involvement of private operators. The factors driving the current evolution of the network will then be assessed, to investigate the extent to which different barriers inhibit the operation of night train services in certain areas. Finally, the paper will consider whether regulatory changes could facilitate development of a more comprehensive Europe-wide night train network.

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