Nightjet connects capitals of Italy and Austria.

Italy's transport minister Matteo Salvini on Tuesday inaugurated the new ÖBB Nightjet, the next-generation night train which connects Rome with Vienna in 16 hours.

The sleeper train service, with restaurant facilities, is the result of cooperation between Trenitalia (FS Group) and the Austrian railway company ÖBB.

The new 500-seat train, which is operational daily from 11 September, leaves Rome Tiburtina at 17.30 in the afternoon and arrives in Vienna at 09.00 the next day.

The ÖBB Nightjet also offers the possibility of arriving in the German city of Munich, at 09.30, by changing trains at Villach in Austria.

Grazie Roma! Es war uns eine Freude! Nach der ersten Fahrt des neuen #NightjetNewGen von Wien nach Rom und einem Tag in der italienischen Hauptstadt geht es für uns heute Abend gleich wieder nach Hause. Alle Infos für eure Reise https://t.co/pE6sVN7EvK pic.twitter.com/wcepBqy64m

— ÖBB (@unsereOEBB) September 10, 2024

There are stops in Florence, Bologna, Villach, Klagenfurt, Leoben and Bruck an der Mur.

On the return journey the train from Vienna meets the one from Munich in Villach and the two trains join up until Rome.

The inauguration ceremony on Tuesday was attended by Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri; the Austrian ambassador to Italy, Martin Eichtinger; FS CEO Stefano Donnarumma; and Trenitalia CEO Luigi Corradi.

"It is a completely new train, a beautiful example of how night transport can evolve to comfortable levels" - Corradi said - "The demand for transport from those who want to travel at night is increasing, in recent years by about 50 per cent per year on some main routes."

Gualtieri said the night train "gives a great sense of Europe building integration", adding: "I hope that many Viennese and Bavarian citizens will take advantage of this route to come to Rome. And I am sure that many Italians won't miss the opportunity to fall asleep in Rome and wake up in Vienna".