I love night trains. For distances of around 1000km, they are effectively the fastest way.
Imagine two transports:
- "fast", which can be a plane or high speed train. Travel time is around 3h. The plane is faster but with getting in and out of the airport, boarding, etc... it takes almost the same amount of time in the end.
- The night train, travel time 9h, let's say from 10pm to 7am
You want to get to your destination at some time in the morning.
With the "fast" transport, you have to get up really early and take the first train/flight. Expect a short night, and it may not even be possible without arriving late. The other option is to travel the day before in the evening and book a hotel, not ideal either. In any case, you will spend 3 active hours of your day for travel, or sleep 3 hours less.
With the night train, you have a good night sleep (generally, sleeper trains are comfortable) and didn't waste the best part of your day. And you may even save a hotel night.
I have found them to be highly uncomfortable. I’ve taken several night trains in and around Central Europe and the rooms are claustrophobic, and god help you if you are in a four person. There’s barely any room for two people to stand. I’ve had arguments about temperature control where a lower bunk wanted air con off as it blew on their face, leaving it about 40c on the top bunk in summer overnight.
In Finland I’ve taken one of the more “luxurious” cabins with two bunks and a tiny shower. It’s marginally better but the walls are made or paper and the train stops during the night and you are awoken by passengers coming and going and worse the beeping of doors closing. This is with silicon earplugs.
I used to take one in France, but I could not sleep well (like when taking an overnight flight) and arrived tired. It was a alternative to spending 5.5 hours in the train during the day, or flying. (then this service stopped)
One thing that is missing is the possibility to take a shower before leaving. I don't think there is any public shower in train stations in France any more. Same problem with night coaches: after having walked in a city the whole day, I don't want to make the experience bad for the other travellers.
Same. I really wanted to like the sleeper train I went on but I just couldn't sleep. It might be better for heavy sleepers.
The second one I took the train turned up at the station but they forgot the sleeper cars. We had to take a bus in the middle of the night across Germany to what where they left them. It was 3am when we got there and they still didn't just let us sleep and were checking our tickets and everything. Our stop was at 6am.
The best overnight travel I did was on a ferry from Oslo to Copenhagen. We had the cheapest possible cabin (no window) but I slept like a log. You can even do a multiple night trip all the way to Helsinki.
I remember the time when I was a kid and travelling with my brother and parents that there were 6 people sleeping in a cabin, so two other adults we didn't know.
Last time when we took a car/sleeptrain from Dusseldorf to Austria I used an over the earmuff or an overear sony nois ecancellation combined with earplugs. Works well
i had food poisoning and took a night train in europe. i was that asshole banging the doors all night and making the train smell like shit. it wasn’t fun for me. i doubt it was fun for anyone else. especially the people in my cabin
We did the Paris -> Barcelona night train back in 2013 - reading TFA this sounds like it was just before they stopped running them, though I recall back then that they'd only recently re-fitted out a lot of the carriages.
It was a 2-berth cabin, with big comfy chairs and a teeny tiny shower/bathroom. Boarded at around 9pm, disembarked at 9.30am. On boarding they showed us to the cabin, then ushered us off to the dining carriage (while they converted the room to bunks).
The package was £289.00 for the two of us, but in addition to a quite fancy meal, as others note, that covered transport and accommodation for two people. Part of the motivation of course was just to try something different. But would, had we stayed in Europe, done overnight trains semi-regularly. (The only other overnight train we've done was Mumbai to Bangalore - a profoundly different experience.)
More anecdata - the sleep quality was excellent, and I usually sleep very lightly & poorly the first night somewhere new.
Last year I did Berlin -> Paris and Hendaye (French-Spanish border)-> Lisbon.
The Berlin -> Paris connection was amazing and actually part of the Moscow-Paris connection that runs once per week. The food on board was nice (Polish catering wagon).
The Train to Lisbon though was really old and the food well eh. But arriving at sunrise in Lisbon was well worth it.
I am happy that the sleeper trains come back to existence, more eco friendly, more relaxed traveling, more cargo and less restrictions than with air travel (e.g. > 100ml liquids)
I'm lucky to live in a city (Hanover, Germany) on the intersection of many night train routes. Back when Deutsche Bahn operated their night trains one could travel to Amsterdam, Brussels, Warsaw, and Prague. Now with ÖBB operating them one can ride to Hamburg, Vienna, Innsbruck, and Zurich.
Some years ago I did Hanover -> Warsaw and Hanover -> Prague. It was very chaotic to board at night and all the confusion which one of the train parts goes to which end station. Clearly other passengers had the same problem. Seems to be part of the adventure. You also have to get used to sleep in those trains. When ÖBB started to operate them I did Hamburg -> Hanover to ride back home (which continues to Vienna) and Munich -> Venice.
Of course your riding experience depends on whether you book seats, beds, cabins, or just the train ride. One time when I woke up I saw the polish worker standing by the window having his first beer. I didn't even notice him enter the cabin in the middle of the night. We talked for hours. Another time I just booked the train ride and when boarding the train spend minutes to cross the compartments full of people to find a nice spot. There were even some sleeping on the floor. I was lucky to reach the Czech part of the train, which had a lot of empty seats. The ride on the tracks next to Elbe and Vltava rivers is very magical.
For the train ride to Venice I reserved a single cabin which was very comfy. And the one departing from Hamburg had a delay of 120 minutes. I entered the train a searched for a cabin and was greeted by someone who smiled at me. So I entered the cabin and had a chat with her. She told me the delay was due to ÖBB having problems with loading all the cars and motorcycles on the train, and added there seems to be a delay between 60 and 120 minutes every day, because the problems don't go away.
Sleeper trains were de rigeur for our travel when I was a kid in the 60s and 70s: Paris-Simplon, The Flying Scotsman and regular trips between Melbourne and Adelaide. All are now gone, or recreated as shadows of their former selves.
A 1980s trip on the trans Siberian express: I remember it as being "third class", though perhaps it was simply not first class; the idea of classes of service in a soviet train amused me, though the realities of the spartan accomodation made it only technically a "sleeper". But the friendly fellow travelers made up for it.
About 15 years ago we took sleeper service from Paris to Berlin, in a bid to convince my wife that it was a fun way to travel. It was not.
The simple matter is air travel is stupid convenient between any two points not directly connected or where the two points are far apart. Its faster by far on longer distances and scheduling is far more flexible.
... long way around
The cost structure that exist is because train transport suffers some serious disadvantages airlines are not stuck with. If you want to claim an externalized cost that may not be paid in full your only choice is fuel costs but understand only a little over half of rail in the EU is electric. Even with higher fuel taxes trains will be at a disadvantage as shown below.
Airline travel schedules, capacity, and routes, can be varied as needed. Trains are locked into sharing tracks, may have have service requirements, and as a result cannot vary their schedules by much if at all.
Airline travel can also add and drop destinations with ease. Trains obviously require connections to each point separately. Rail construction, maintenance, to include tracks and facilities, can rival or exceed air ports.
Trains have the additional cost of staffing requirements imposed by various governments along with capacity requirements that can be out of date.
Finally, while trains have the advantages of lower cost for the train and carriages adding routes is just terribly expensive and their environmental advantage is being eroded as other forms of ground transport move to electric and all bets are off once air can be done that way
This brings back memories. I used Seat61 to plan a 40-day-long trip across Europe and Asia back when I was an undergraduate, and it was an invaluable resource.
Unless you're a heavy sleeper or are really used to the ride, sleeping on a night train, even in the best of cabins, is for the initiated.
Most night trains make countless annoying stops. Even just one stop would ruin my sleep. Beds are awful. Regular (ie not high speed) train tracks are awfully noisy. Nothing enjoyable about it, just get into a "container" cabin, wake up in a new town with a beat up body from continuous 12hr motion and noise that is 1000x worse than most modern jetliners (A380, 787, A350...)
During my long 13 yr stride as a consultant in Europe I've tried every possible combination of hotel, flight and trains (and car rental, ships...). The night train is a tourist trap. But also probably good fun for the adventurous at heart. The night train cabin may be a tourist attraction even, an experience you should live once in your life... If you are into that kind of thing. Because to me it is really not worth the trouble. Get a flight or a high speed train and a decent hotel or airbnb. Wake up to a great breakfast cooked in a real kitchen with fresh produce and hit the streets all set and good to go.
The benefit of a night train is that you get an actual nights' sleep. On shorter distances going from city center to city center by plane is only a few hours faster, but you can't sleep much during this time as you have to get to the airport, go through check-in, wait for your plane, etc. With a good night train you can travel without losing a day.
Getting actual good sleep can be difficult at times, but it's not like you'll leave the cabin battered and bruised. Modern sleep carriages are excellent at compensating for track irregularities
I've found that the few times I afforded myself a sleeping cabin with proper mattress, I slept fine or even excellently. Couchettes are more of a mixed bag. YMMV.
I would love to use trains more in Europe, but their prices cannot compete with cheap flight providers at all, 30ish EUR flights pretty much from any country to any country in Europe are hard to beat
Flying is a lot of hassle though. You need to go to the airport which is far away from the center. In most cities half an hour to an hour. And you have to arrive at least an hour before your flight takes of. And you cannot buy a ticket spontaneously.
I love trains. They often go every hour. You can spontaneously take them. Right from the center. And you arrive right in the center. And you can freely chose your seat. So you can pick a pleasant neighbor. Or just change seat if your neighbor annoys you.
You should look at how the new low-cost high speed trains is looking now in Spain. The high speed rails are now open to the market and a Madrid-Barcelona ticket would be around 10 EUR (12ish USD) and a 2:30h trip.
https://www.ouigo.com/es/en/barcelona-madrid-train
I really look forward to this deregulation (it was about time for Renfe to have real rivals) and I think it will be a huge added value for the people, that Spain has the second longest high speed train network in the world. I guess we'll see how it evolves in around 5/10 years...
For tourism, and if you're young, the Interrail tickets are probably attractive (one or two months unlimited for XXX EUR).
There are also various methods of price discrimination now being used by rail companies, essentially modelled on airlines'. I. e. buying early, limited tickets sold in specific channels such as discount supermarkets etc.
Of course this negates one of the advantages of rail travel: that you can just hop on any train and buy your ticket after departure (for a small fee), or ten minutes before departure, using using your phone.
If you travel longer routes sure, but to neighbouring cities and countries? Here in Vienna I can get to all larger nearby cities and capitals for 30-50€ in a cheap seat that easily beats anything economy class on a plane has to offer. The journey takes longer of course (sometimes), which may not be for everyone but I take a longer ride vs all the airport hassle any day. Plus on a train first class is something you can actually afford if you want more space and quiet (another 30 to 50€ extra here).
I once took an overnight train from Paris to Berlin, arrived at about 7:00 a.m., and walked clear across the city to my AirBnb (from Mitte to south Neukölln, for any Berliners.) It was a really fantastic way to discover the city for the first time. I don’t think flying in to an airport then taking a taxi would have been nearly as memorable.
The only problem IMO is that sleeping on a train is not comfortable unless you’re young. It’s basically a minor step up from staying in a hostel in terms of noise, other people, and general cleanliness. I think there would need to be a dramatic upgrade in the quality of sleeping cabins for trains to really replace flights.
ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways), who are slowly taking over night train service all over Europe, have single or double Deluxe cabins [1]. You can have your privacy and your own bathroom with shower. It can be pretty private and comfortable.
One problem with AirBnBs and sometimes hotels is that they're not really set up to receive new visitors early in the morning, even if you only want to drop off your bags.
As for sleeping quality on the train: I'm looking forward to the new one-person ÖBB cabins.
I used one, once. Ride took roughly 10 hours. 6 seats cabine, with people leaving and boarding a couple of times. Never again.
Love the concept. But execution needs to be premium (cabine / bed for myself, pleasent looking interior) and cheaper than alternatives. Otherwise plane or car are the superior options.
> You need special rolling stock, they only make one journey per day, and can't carry intermediate passengers -- nobody would board at 2 a.m."
This was not the case on almost every overnight train I've taken (not in Europe). With non-private cabins (or worse, standard seats), there's nothing as dreadful as the sound of people boarding or leaving every hour through the entire night.
I've most reliably slept on trains where the journey is usually short, say four hours, yet the night itinerary is stretched to 7 or 8 hours. That's usually a sign the train will stop before the destination and wait until the next morning before pulling in.
Can we get the Hellas Express back? Dortmund -> Athens. It was ended by the war(s) in the former Yugoslavia. Yeah, cheap EU flights probably eat into its viability now, but I rode that train all the way to Athens twice and it was two of the most memorable (if uneventful) experiences of my life.
I love the Berlin -> Vienna route that already exists. The private cabins could do with a bit of a facelift, but it really is a nice experience to wake up in a new country without any of the hassle of an airport.
I have taken the Oslo-Bergen night train line multiple times.
It was quite expensive. You had to buy a two bedroom coach, even if you were traveling alone.
Recently, the Norwegian train company have made a new offering which I would describe as more "hostel"-like, where you sleep in a coach with 5 strangers[0]. Hopefully this will offer a much more affordable option.
The one overnight train I took in Germany was one of the most unpleasant nights of my life. The bed was so small and uncomfortable, and the temperature so erratic, I spent much the night in a bathroom reading a book.
I'd only ever try it again in a premium cabin, assuming the cost isn't exorbitant.
German Rail cancelled their night train service a few years ago, and then Austrian Rail took over and offered a proper service. As the article covers, the Germans were neglecting this service, which in turn probably lead to their poorer service and poorer uptake, and they presumably thought "well, it seems nobody likes taking night trains any more, so let's cancel them".
I took night trains many times during my trips (India, China, Norway, etc.). They are comfortable and cheap.
In the '90s, when there was no low cost flights, my dad usually took the night train Florence-Paris or Florence-Munchen for business trips. He was very happy about that: they started around 9PM and he can be at the business appointments in the morning relaxed and fresh.
When I did a summer eurailing it across Europe a million years ago, the overnight trains were a handy budget saver. Every few days take a train to whatever city was an overnight journey away and save on lodging costs. Not the most organized way to travel, but it was fine when I was 20.
It's a really nice way to travel for families. We've used it several times, and despite the fact that I don't sleep amazingly well on them, the fact I can stash my kid and not hear a word about being tired and bored until the next day is really amazing. And then you get breakfast, and sit in pyjamas, watching the landscape as the train takes a smooth ride to your final destination. It's just a nice way to start your day.
Sadly the German Railways cut them out a couple years ago. As mentioned in the article, they were replaced by the Austrian trains (and also Hungarian), but the options became more and more complicated, at least for me (e.g. instead of boarding in Germany, go to Prague, and then board at 2AM).
I took night trains a handful of times in China, and loved it. China is big enough that you can get a nice long journey in. I found that people were respectful and quiet for the most part, so I didn't have any trouble sleeping.
Same here. The first thing I look for when I want to visit a country is if there's night trains or other cool train routes available to explore. It's by far my favourite way to travel.
"There are high costs, but a lot is down to attitude, willingness and management focus," says Smith, who praises ÖBB CEO Andreas Matthä, who took over in 2016, for "making night trains wash their faces commercially."
Well that is an understatement. Last time I checked to get a night train to Vienna they started at €200 per person. You can fly there for €30.
It's nice that they're expanding, sure. But at this rate you're not going to convince the masses of going electric on their middle-distance travels.
There are a lot of trains I'd take in America if they were also had car carriages. There's only one East Coaster that does it. Pity, and I get why (no one else seems to want it) but if it were to happen, I'd be pretty happy. Imagine parking your car on the train, hanging out with your friends in a private room, sleeping on the train and then waking up in Denver and just hopping into your car to go up to Aspen. Nice.
How little would it have to cost or how long would your vacation have to be to compete with a simple rental? Sometimes you can rent for $15/30 a day and I don’t think transporting a whole car would be particularly cheap, given the price of a train ticket in the US.
[+] [-] GuB-42|5 years ago|reply
I love night trains. For distances of around 1000km, they are effectively the fastest way.
Imagine two transports:
- "fast", which can be a plane or high speed train. Travel time is around 3h. The plane is faster but with getting in and out of the airport, boarding, etc... it takes almost the same amount of time in the end.
- The night train, travel time 9h, let's say from 10pm to 7am
You want to get to your destination at some time in the morning.
With the "fast" transport, you have to get up really early and take the first train/flight. Expect a short night, and it may not even be possible without arriving late. The other option is to travel the day before in the evening and book a hotel, not ideal either. In any case, you will spend 3 active hours of your day for travel, or sleep 3 hours less.
With the night train, you have a good night sleep (generally, sleeper trains are comfortable) and didn't waste the best part of your day. And you may even save a hotel night.
Think of it as a traveling hotel.
[+] [-] deanclatworthy|5 years ago|reply
In Finland I’ve taken one of the more “luxurious” cabins with two bunks and a tiny shower. It’s marginally better but the walls are made or paper and the train stops during the night and you are awoken by passengers coming and going and worse the beeping of doors closing. This is with silicon earplugs.
[+] [-] Kankuro|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] globular-toast|5 years ago|reply
The second one I took the train turned up at the station but they forgot the sleeper cars. We had to take a bus in the middle of the night across Germany to what where they left them. It was 3am when we got there and they still didn't just let us sleep and were checking our tickets and everything. Our stop was at 6am.
The best overnight travel I did was on a ferry from Oslo to Copenhagen. We had the cheapest possible cabin (no window) but I slept like a log. You can even do a multiple night trip all the way to Helsinki.
[+] [-] fsiefken|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] foolfoolz|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Jedd|5 years ago|reply
It was a 2-berth cabin, with big comfy chairs and a teeny tiny shower/bathroom. Boarded at around 9pm, disembarked at 9.30am. On boarding they showed us to the cabin, then ushered us off to the dining carriage (while they converted the room to bunks).
The package was £289.00 for the two of us, but in addition to a quite fancy meal, as others note, that covered transport and accommodation for two people. Part of the motivation of course was just to try something different. But would, had we stayed in Europe, done overnight trains semi-regularly. (The only other overnight train we've done was Mumbai to Bangalore - a profoundly different experience.)
More anecdata - the sleep quality was excellent, and I usually sleep very lightly & poorly the first night somewhere new.
[+] [-] leipert|5 years ago|reply
The Berlin -> Paris connection was amazing and actually part of the Moscow-Paris connection that runs once per week. The food on board was nice (Polish catering wagon).
The Train to Lisbon though was really old and the food well eh. But arriving at sunrise in Lisbon was well worth it.
I am happy that the sleeper trains come back to existence, more eco friendly, more relaxed traveling, more cargo and less restrictions than with air travel (e.g. > 100ml liquids)
[+] [-] tauchunfall|5 years ago|reply
Some years ago I did Hanover -> Warsaw and Hanover -> Prague. It was very chaotic to board at night and all the confusion which one of the train parts goes to which end station. Clearly other passengers had the same problem. Seems to be part of the adventure. You also have to get used to sleep in those trains. When ÖBB started to operate them I did Hamburg -> Hanover to ride back home (which continues to Vienna) and Munich -> Venice.
Of course your riding experience depends on whether you book seats, beds, cabins, or just the train ride. One time when I woke up I saw the polish worker standing by the window having his first beer. I didn't even notice him enter the cabin in the middle of the night. We talked for hours. Another time I just booked the train ride and when boarding the train spend minutes to cross the compartments full of people to find a nice spot. There were even some sleeping on the floor. I was lucky to reach the Czech part of the train, which had a lot of empty seats. The ride on the tracks next to Elbe and Vltava rivers is very magical.
For the train ride to Venice I reserved a single cabin which was very comfy. And the one departing from Hamburg had a delay of 120 minutes. I entered the train a searched for a cabin and was greeted by someone who smiled at me. So I entered the cabin and had a chat with her. She told me the delay was due to ÖBB having problems with loading all the cars and motorcycles on the train, and added there seems to be a delay between 60 and 120 minutes every day, because the problems don't go away.
[+] [-] gumby|5 years ago|reply
A 1980s trip on the trans Siberian express: I remember it as being "third class", though perhaps it was simply not first class; the idea of classes of service in a soviet train amused me, though the realities of the spartan accomodation made it only technically a "sleeper". But the friendly fellow travelers made up for it.
About 15 years ago we took sleeper service from Paris to Berlin, in a bid to convince my wife that it was a fun way to travel. It was not.
[+] [-] Sharlin|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jlelse|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Shivetya|5 years ago|reply
The simple matter is air travel is stupid convenient between any two points not directly connected or where the two points are far apart. Its faster by far on longer distances and scheduling is far more flexible.
... long way around
The cost structure that exist is because train transport suffers some serious disadvantages airlines are not stuck with. If you want to claim an externalized cost that may not be paid in full your only choice is fuel costs but understand only a little over half of rail in the EU is electric. Even with higher fuel taxes trains will be at a disadvantage as shown below.
Airline travel schedules, capacity, and routes, can be varied as needed. Trains are locked into sharing tracks, may have have service requirements, and as a result cannot vary their schedules by much if at all.
Airline travel can also add and drop destinations with ease. Trains obviously require connections to each point separately. Rail construction, maintenance, to include tracks and facilities, can rival or exceed air ports.
Trains have the additional cost of staffing requirements imposed by various governments along with capacity requirements that can be out of date.
Finally, while trains have the advantages of lower cost for the train and carriages adding routes is just terribly expensive and their environmental advantage is being eroded as other forms of ground transport move to electric and all bets are off once air can be done that way
[+] [-] johannes1234321|5 years ago|reply
Also interesting: Lufthansa is the company which probably good biggest single Corona-support, yet, in Germany.
[+] [-] vladgur|5 years ago|reply
[1] https://www.seat61.com/
[+] [-] Symbiote|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jean-|5 years ago|reply
There was even a planned TV series based on the website around 10 years ago: http://www.guerilla-films.com/man-in-seat-61.html
[+] [-] iso8859-1|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ojosilva|5 years ago|reply
Most night trains make countless annoying stops. Even just one stop would ruin my sleep. Beds are awful. Regular (ie not high speed) train tracks are awfully noisy. Nothing enjoyable about it, just get into a "container" cabin, wake up in a new town with a beat up body from continuous 12hr motion and noise that is 1000x worse than most modern jetliners (A380, 787, A350...)
During my long 13 yr stride as a consultant in Europe I've tried every possible combination of hotel, flight and trains (and car rental, ships...). The night train is a tourist trap. But also probably good fun for the adventurous at heart. The night train cabin may be a tourist attraction even, an experience you should live once in your life... If you are into that kind of thing. Because to me it is really not worth the trouble. Get a flight or a high speed train and a decent hotel or airbnb. Wake up to a great breakfast cooked in a real kitchen with fresh produce and hit the streets all set and good to go.
[+] [-] Boltgolt|5 years ago|reply
Getting actual good sleep can be difficult at times, but it's not like you'll leave the cabin battered and bruised. Modern sleep carriages are excellent at compensating for track irregularities
[+] [-] gpvos|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tW4r|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] TooCreative|5 years ago|reply
I love trains. They often go every hour. You can spontaneously take them. Right from the center. And you arrive right in the center. And you can freely chose your seat. So you can pick a pleasant neighbor. Or just change seat if your neighbor annoys you.
[+] [-] yardie|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] brutuscat|5 years ago|reply
I really look forward to this deregulation (it was about time for Renfe to have real rivals) and I think it will be a huge added value for the people, that Spain has the second longest high speed train network in the world. I guess we'll see how it evolves in around 5/10 years...
[+] [-] throw0101a|5 years ago|reply
Might this change with carbon pricing?
AFAICT, most trains are electric and so (depending on the method of generation) be better with climate change?
[+] [-] IfOnlyYouKnew|5 years ago|reply
For tourism, and if you're young, the Interrail tickets are probably attractive (one or two months unlimited for XXX EUR).
There are also various methods of price discrimination now being used by rail companies, essentially modelled on airlines'. I. e. buying early, limited tickets sold in specific channels such as discount supermarkets etc.
Of course this negates one of the advantages of rail travel: that you can just hop on any train and buy your ticket after departure (for a small fee), or ten minutes before departure, using using your phone.
[+] [-] awiesenhofer|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] pkulak|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] progfix|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Al-Khwarizmi|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] keiferski|5 years ago|reply
The only problem IMO is that sleeping on a train is not comfortable unless you’re young. It’s basically a minor step up from staying in a hostel in terms of noise, other people, and general cleanliness. I think there would need to be a dramatic upgrade in the quality of sleeping cabins for trains to really replace flights.
[+] [-] erispoe|5 years ago|reply
[1]: https://www.nightjet.com/en/komfortkategorien/schlafwagen
[+] [-] gpvos|5 years ago|reply
As for sleeping quality on the train: I'm looking forward to the new one-person ÖBB cabins.
[+] [-] kharak|5 years ago|reply
Love the concept. But execution needs to be premium (cabine / bed for myself, pleasent looking interior) and cheaper than alternatives. Otherwise plane or car are the superior options.
Really hoping this will work out well.
[+] [-] iso1210|5 years ago|reply
Paris to Venice for example (pre covid), prices in the 6 berth couchette were €29, a 1 berth sleeper €170.
[+] [-] z2|5 years ago|reply
> You need special rolling stock, they only make one journey per day, and can't carry intermediate passengers -- nobody would board at 2 a.m."
This was not the case on almost every overnight train I've taken (not in Europe). With non-private cabins (or worse, standard seats), there's nothing as dreadful as the sound of people boarding or leaving every hour through the entire night.
I've most reliably slept on trains where the journey is usually short, say four hours, yet the night itinerary is stretched to 7 or 8 hours. That's usually a sign the train will stop before the destination and wait until the next morning before pulling in.
[+] [-] PaulDavisThe1st|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] iandanforth|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] alfyboy|5 years ago|reply
It was quite expensive. You had to buy a two bedroom coach, even if you were traveling alone.
Recently, the Norwegian train company have made a new offering which I would describe as more "hostel"-like, where you sleep in a coach with 5 strangers[0]. Hopefully this will offer a much more affordable option.
[0]: https://www.nrk.no/norge/bergensbanen-blir-_ny_-med-kraftig-...
[+] [-] standardUser|5 years ago|reply
I'd only ever try it again in a premium cabin, assuming the cost isn't exorbitant.
[+] [-] netsharc|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] lormayna|5 years ago|reply
In the '90s, when there was no low cost flights, my dad usually took the night train Florence-Paris or Florence-Munchen for business trips. He was very happy about that: they started around 9PM and he can be at the business appointments in the morning relaxed and fresh.
[+] [-] TigeriusKirk|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] locallost|5 years ago|reply
Sadly the German Railways cut them out a couple years ago. As mentioned in the article, they were replaced by the Austrian trains (and also Hungarian), but the options became more and more complicated, at least for me (e.g. instead of boarding in Germany, go to Prague, and then board at 2AM).
[+] [-] notJim|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Barrin92|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] apexalpha|5 years ago|reply
Well that is an understatement. Last time I checked to get a night train to Vienna they started at €200 per person. You can fly there for €30.
It's nice that they're expanding, sure. But at this rate you're not going to convince the masses of going electric on their middle-distance travels.
[+] [-] renewiltord|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] bamboleo|5 years ago|reply