We all need our beauty sleep. Apparently, that includes trains.
The delightfully nerdy Trains' Bedtimes Map visualizes the moment each part of Europe tucks its railways in for the night. Using colored hexbins, the map shows the first time after 5pm when service levels drop below 50% of peak frequency. Think of it as a continental curfew clock for trains.
I think I can spot the familiar arc of the Blue Banana – that densely populated corridor stretching from Liverpool to Milan and home to around 100 million people – on the Trains' Bedtimes Map. I think this urban spine has more green hexbins, indicating later “bedtimes.” This reveals that rail networks continue running at higher frequencies well into the evening in these more populated areas of Europe.
It’s hardly surprising. High population density and strong inter-city connectivity mean sustained passenger demand long after the traditional rush hour fades. In contrast, more rural and sparsely populated regions see their rail services winding down much earlier. Presumably for operators, it’s a simple equation of demand and economics – fuller trains justify staying up later.
The map was created using timetable and routing data from Transitous.
For post-bedtime night trains see:
