{
  "_meta": {
    "description": "Per-route citations for the Night Trains dataset. Primary sources are Wikipedia route or operator articles; secondary sources are operator archives, International Railway Journal (IRJ), Railway Gazette, or reputable rail-journalism sites (seat61, trains.com, Back-on-Track).",
    "accessed": "2026-04-21",
    "compiled_by": "R.",
    "notes": "This is a 40-route curated subset, not a complete census of European overnight rail. One row from the seed (Hamburg–Milan Nightjet 2025) was dropped because the service could not be verified. Start years flagged as 'uncertain (pre-1990)' were banded rather than fabricated to a precise date."
  },
  "1": {
    "route": "Paris–Berlin (CityNightLine)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Night_Line",
      "https://www.europebyrail.eu/city-night-line-hits-the-buffers/"
    ],
    "notes": "CNL service was wholly discontinued 11 December 2016; operator history was SBB/ÖBB/DB consortium 1995–2007, DB-only from 2007."
  },
  "2": {
    "route": "Paris–Madrid (Trenhotel Francisco de Goya)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elipsos",
      "http://trains-today.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-end-of-elipsos.html"
    ],
    "notes": "All Elipsos Trenhotel services to France were withdrawn 15 December 2013 with the opening of the LGV high-speed line."
  },
  "3": {
    "route": "Paris–Rome (Palatino)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palatino_Express",
      "https://travels-of-a-life.com/en/paris-rome-by-train-in-the-footsteps-of-the-palatino/"
    ],
    "notes": "Named Palatino in 1969; SNCF discontinued the service in 2011. Thello later operated a Paris–Venice sleeper (row 4), not a direct Paris–Rome service."
  },
  "4": {
    "route": "Paris–Venice (Thello)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trenitalia_France",
      "https://www.railjournal.com/regions/europe/thello-operates-final-trains/"
    ],
    "notes": "Service suspended March 2020 due to pandemic; the Thello brand was formally withdrawn 1 July 2021."
  },
  "5": {
    "route": "Paris–Munich (CityNightLine)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Night_Line"
    ],
    "notes": "CNL route discontinued with the CNL brand on 11 December 2016."
  },
  "6": {
    "route": "Paris–Hamburg (CityNightLine)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Night_Line"
    ],
    "notes": "CNL route discontinued with the CNL brand on 11 December 2016."
  },
  "7": {
    "route": "Paris–Moscow through sleeping car",
    "urls": [
      "https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/paris-to-moscow-express.htm",
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strizh_(train)"
    ],
    "notes": "RZD through-car Paris–Berlin–Moscow launched 2007 (attached to the Paris–Berlin CNL); suspended March 2020 (pandemic) and not restored."
  },
  "8": {
    "route": "Moscow–Nice",
    "urls": [
      "https://uic.org/com/enews/nr/203/article/france-russia-coup-d-envoi-de-la",
      "https://sputnikglobe.com/20100908/160518054.html"
    ],
    "notes": "Seed row stated 1936 — this conflates a tsarist-era Riviera service with the modern RZD train. Modern RZD service launched 23 September 2010; suspended 2020. Original 'hundred years of service' note removed."
  },
  "9": {
    "route": "Berlin–Moscow (Strizh)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strizh_(train)"
    ],
    "notes": "Seed row stated 1946; that conflates older Soviet/Russian Berlin–Moscow services with the modern Strizh. This row represents the Strizh service: launched 17 December 2016, suspended 15 March 2020, terminated March 2022 after sanctions."
  },
  "10": {
    "route": "Berlin–Paris (Nightjet)",
    "urls": [
      "https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2023/12/new-nightjet-services-from-berlin-to-paris-and-brussels-take-off.html",
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightjet"
    ],
    "notes": "Inaugural run 11 December 2023, ÖBB/DB/SNCF/SNCB partnership. Styled 'revived' because there was a dark period after the CNL era."
  },
  "11": {
    "route": "Vienna–Brussels (Nightjet)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightjet"
    ],
    "notes": "Launched January 2020."
  },
  "12": {
    "route": "Hamburg–Zurich (Nightjet)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightjet"
    ],
    "notes": "ÖBB took over the former CNL Hamburg–Zürich at the 2016/17 timetable change."
  },
  "13": {
    "route": "Amsterdam–Zurich (Nightjet)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightjet"
    ],
    "notes": "Launched December 2021."
  },
  "14": {
    "route": "Amsterdam–Vienna (Nightjet)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightjet"
    ],
    "notes": "ÖBB assumed former CNL Amsterdam–Vienna from 2016."
  },
  "15": {
    "route": "Zurich–Rome (Nightjet)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightjet",
      "https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/nightjet.htm"
    ],
    "notes": "Pre-dates the Nightjet brand; ran as an EuroNight under ÖBB/DB before rebranding."
  },
  "16": {
    "route": "Munich–Venice (Nightjet)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightjet"
    ],
    "notes": ""
  },
  "17": {
    "route": "Stockholm–Hamburg (Snälltåget)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sn%C3%A4llt%C3%A5get"
    ],
    "notes": "Private operator (Transdev); year-round from 2022 after initial seasonal service."
  },
  "18": {
    "route": "Stockholm–Brussels (European Sleeper)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Sleeper",
      "https://www.europeansleeper.eu/timetable"
    ],
    "notes": "Through-coaches Stockholm–Brussels joined to the Berlin–Brussels train in 2024."
  },
  "19": {
    "route": "Brussels–Berlin (European Sleeper)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Sleeper",
      "https://s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/uploads.mangoweb.org/allrail/prod/uploads/2024/09/EN_Press-release-European-Sleeper-timetable-2025-1.pdf"
    ],
    "notes": "Launched 25 May 2023; crowdfunded second operator on the corridor."
  },
  "20": {
    "route": "Brussels–Prague (European Sleeper)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Sleeper",
      "https://tripbytrip.org/2025/11/12/european-sleeper-to-operate-paris-brussels-berlin-night-train-route-from-march-2026/"
    ],
    "notes": "Seed/prototype dated January 2025 — actually extended from Berlin to Prague on 26 March 2024 (thrice weekly). Correction applied."
  },
  "21": {
    "route": "London–Fort William (Caledonian Sleeper)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caledonian_Sleeper"
    ],
    "notes": "The Highlander; continuously operated since 1873 through several franchises."
  },
  "22": {
    "route": "London–Inverness (Caledonian Sleeper)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caledonian_Sleeper"
    ],
    "notes": ""
  },
  "23": {
    "route": "London–Penzance (Night Riviera)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Riviera"
    ],
    "notes": "Oldest UK sleeper still running."
  },
  "24": {
    "route": "Rome–Palermo (Intercity Notte)",
    "urls": [
      "https://www.trenitalia.com/en/intercity-notte.html",
      "https://back-on-track.eu/night-train/fs-palermo-roma-2/"
    ],
    "notes": "Start year banded to 1970 as a best-estimate lower bound; Trenitalia publishes current timetables but not the founding year for this ICN numbering. Treat start_year as uncertain (pre-1990)."
  },
  "25": {
    "route": "Rome–Syracuse (Intercity Notte)",
    "urls": [
      "https://www.trenitalia.com/en/intercity-notte.html",
      "https://back-on-track.eu/night-train/fs-roma-siracusa/"
    ],
    "notes": "Start year uncertain (pre-1990); banded to 1970."
  },
  "26": {
    "route": "Milan–Lecce (Intercity Notte)",
    "urls": [
      "https://www.trenitalia.com/en/intercity-notte.html"
    ],
    "notes": "Start year uncertain (pre-1990); banded to 1980."
  },
  "27": {
    "route": "Warsaw–Budapest (Chopin)",
    "urls": [
      "https://www.intercity.pl/en/for-enterprises1/south.html"
    ],
    "notes": "Start year banded to 1985; EN Chopin corridor has run in various forms through the Cold War era. Uncertain (pre-1990)."
  },
  "28": {
    "route": "Warsaw–Prague (EN Chopin)",
    "urls": [
      "https://www.cd.cz/en/vlak/477/datepart/5100066/19.39/8103000/7.00/"
    ],
    "notes": "Post-Velvet-Divorce EN route; 1998 start year is the best available estimate from PKP/CD timetables."
  },
  "29": {
    "route": "Vienna–Venice (Nightjet)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightjet"
    ],
    "notes": "Relaunched 2024 as part of Nightjet New Generation. Marked revived."
  },
  "30": {
    "route": "Vienna–Rome (Nightjet)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightjet"
    ],
    "notes": "Relaunched 2024 as part of Nightjet New Generation. Marked revived."
  },
  "31": {
    "route": "Helsinki–Rovaniemi (VR overnight, Santa Claus Express)",
    "urls": [
      "https://www.vr.fi/en/santa-claus-express",
      "https://www.vr.fi/en/night-trains"
    ],
    "notes": "VR long-running overnight to Lapland. 'Santa Claus Express' is primarily an international marketing name, not a specific post-branding era. Start year banded to 1980; uncertain (pre-1990)."
  },
  "32": {
    "route": "Helsinki–Oulu (VR night service)",
    "urls": [
      "https://www.vr.fi/en/night-trains"
    ],
    "notes": "VR long-running overnight service. Start year banded to 1980; uncertain (pre-1990)."
  },
  "33": {
    "route": "Madrid–Lisbon (Trenhotel Lusitania)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trenhotel"
    ],
    "notes": "Suspended March 2020 (pandemic); not restored."
  },
  "34": {
    "route": "Barcelona–Zurich (Trenhotel Pau Casals)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elipsos"
    ],
    "notes": "Elipsos route; ended 2012 ahead of wider Elipsos wind-down."
  },
  "35": {
    "route": "Barcelona–Milan (Trenhotel Salvador Dalí)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elipsos",
      "http://trains-today.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-end-of-elipsos.html"
    ],
    "notes": "Withdrawn 15 December 2013 with the rest of Elipsos."
  },
  "36": {
    "route": "Copenhagen–Basel (CityNightLine)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Night_Line"
    ],
    "notes": "CNL route; ended with the CNL brand 11 December 2016."
  },
  "37": {
    "route": "Copenhagen–Prague (CityNightLine)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Night_Line"
    ],
    "notes": "CNL route; ended with the CNL brand 11 December 2016."
  },
  "38": {
    "route": "Amsterdam–Prague (CityNightLine)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Night_Line"
    ],
    "notes": "CNL route; ended with the CNL brand 11 December 2016."
  },
  "39": {
    "route": "Berlin–Vienna (Nightjet)",
    "urls": [
      "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightjet"
    ],
    "notes": "Launched January 2020."
  },
  "_dropped": {
    "Hamburg–Milan (Nightjet Pro)": {
      "seed_row": 39,
      "reason": "Direct Hamburg–Milan Nightjet could not be verified in late-2025/early-2026 reporting. ÖBB announced a Milan hub (Vienna/Salzburg–Milan extension, Munich/Innsbruck–Milan), but no direct Hamburg–Milan Nightjet service was confirmed. Dropped rather than fabricated."
    }
  }
}