More night train services are starting up in Europe, so…
At their best, fares for night trains can be good value, combining the cost of a bed for the night and hundreds of miles of travel, but prices quickly ramp up on busy routes, often putting them out of reach for most travelers. Wherever they run, night trains are complicated, labor intensive and expensive to operate – one of the major reasons they went into decline in the first place. Until now, the quality of accommodation has been patchy, ranging from modern and comfortable to basic and outdated. But there is now a renaissance in Europe. Spreading quickly from Scandinavia, the flygskam (flight shame) phenomenon is encouraging climate-conscious travelers to seek alternatives to short-haul air travel. Led by Austrian Federal Railways’ (ÖBB) “Nightjet” network, overnight links between major European cities have been restored and expanded over the last few years. There are now also small one-person “pods” on some trains. Working with Swiss Federal Railways and Germany’s Deutsche Bahn, ÖBB has reinvigorated overnight routes linking main hubs in Vienna and Zürich with cities in Germany, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and, more recently, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. See full article. . Tweet The night train revolution has been hailed as an alternative to airplanes. Here’s how that’s going By Ben Jones, CNN November 12, 2023 [Extracts …] Night trains have been making a resurgence across Europe after decades of decline, raising the prospect of more sustainable ways of crisscrossing the continent as travelers look to find alternatives to flying. … Even before their renaissance, night trains could be a pleasant, memorable and sometimes economic way to cover long distances – but luck has always been a big factor. At their best, fares can be good value, combining the cost of a bed for the night and hundreds of miles of travel, but prices quickly ramp up on busy routes, often putting them out of reach for most travelers. Wherever they run, night trains are complicated, labor intensive and expensive to operate – one of the major reasons they went into decline in the first place. Delays are frequently measured in hours rather than minutes, thanks to overnight diversions, while the quality of accommodation has been patchy, ranging from modern and comfortable to basic and outdated. Equally, the novelty soon wears off if you’re trying to sleep in a carriage full of hyperactive teenagers or a bachelor party. No one likes to arrive in a new city at 7 a.m. feeling like they’ve slept on a park bench. … Their recent renaissance though, notably in mainland Europe, owes as much to growing environmental concerns as it does to Agatha Christie or James Bond. Spreading quickly from Scandinavia, the flygskam (flight shame) phenomenon is encouraging climate-conscious travelers to seek alternatives to short-haul air travel. Where good rail links exist, long-distance travel between major cities is booming again after the Covid-19 pandemic, and for longer journeys overnight trains can offer a compelling alternative to the unpleasant experience of early morning flights. Led by Austrian Federal Railways’ (ÖBB) “Nightjet” network, overnight links between major European cities have been restored and expanded over the last few years, reversing decades of dwindling services. They will receive another boost in December when luxurious new trains enter operation between Vienna and Hamburg. Featuring comfortable sleeper cabins, discreet “pods” for solo travelers rather than traditional shared couchettes and fully accessible cabins, the 33 new trains are perhaps the most visible sign that night rail trips are back. Solo sleeping pods aim to rev
