Several associations are organising a pyjama party on Friday at railway stations in 11 European cities, including Lisbon, to demand more night trains to ensure cross-border connections.
The protest, in the form of a silent party, will take place at Santa Apolónia station from 7pm, in Vienna (Austria), Stockholm and Malmö (Sweden), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Paris and Strasbourg (France), Copenhagen (Denmark), Helsinki (Finland), Basel (Switzerland) and Berlin (Germany).
In a statement, three of the organising movements – Back on Track, Stay Grounded and ATERRA – explain that the idea is to organise a silent pyjama party (where each person listens to music through headphones) on the platforms of the various stations.
The aim is to demand an end to night train cancellations and the creation of a “fully connected and accessible” European night train network, which would enable a rapid and fair reduction in air traffic.
In Lisbon, the meeting point is Santa Apolónia at 7 pm, and the soundtrack will be provided by the DJs for Climate Action collective.
“Night trains are the healthiest, most comfortable and most environmentally friendly option for travelling long distances,” explains Francisco Pedro of the ATERRA movement, quoted in a press release, which advocates the restoration of rail links between Lisbon and Madrid (Spain) and Lisbon and Hendaye (France).
Arguing that night trains are the best alternative to aviation, Inês Teles, from Stay Grounded, regrets the cancellation of connections such as Paris-Vienna and also criticises the fact that connections to Lisbon remain closed.
“Instead of greenwashing air traffic with false solutions, we need to put real, affordable night trains back on the rails,” she told Lusa.
Parliamentary party LIVRE is already asking the government to resume negotiations with Spain to reactivate international night trains between Portugal and Spain. LIVRE’s idea is for the Lusitânia and Sud-Expresso night service to resume during the first half of 2026. Citing climate goals and international commitments, the party agrees with the activists pulling out their pyjamas in readiness for Friday: “night trains are once again emerging as an alternative for long journeys” that would otherwise imply the consumption of fuel/ energy.
source: LUSA
