Night trains have made something of a comeback in recent years. Here I account a few of my recent experiences and comparisons between operators out of the Netherlands and Germany.
Over the last year, I have travelled several times by night train to and from the Netherlands with European Sleeper, ÖBB and SJ (from Hamburg). I have been fortunate to afford, or have an employer who can afford, second-class sleeping accommodation with breakfast in all of these.
European Sleeper is a unique co-op startup that runs a service Brussels-Prague and Prague-Brussels three days per week, using an eclectic collection of refurbished cars built from the 1950s to the 1990s. Pros: the price is reasonable, the staff super-friendly. When travelling with two people, it is possible to fit suitcases on or under a spare bed. The 5-berth comfort couchette has extra room under one bed. Cons: the breakfast, though appreciated, falls short of the competition here. The European Sleeper sleeping cars are old not always working, but fairly nice and spatious when they do. Once I was downgraded to a couchette, still private and with breakfast, but considerably less comfortable. The reimbursement was generous and effortless, however. The arrival time in Berlin is too early, just after 6 am, but very comfortable for Dresden or Prague, where it arrived in time for lunch. Adjoining sleeping car cabins can be connected.
ÖBB, the Austrial Railways, is the clear market leader when it comes to night trains. Pros: even the older sleeping cars are very comfortable, and even have space in the corner for one suitcase. A longer table allows for two people to enjoy breakfast, but otherwise in the way (the layout has been improved in the new generation of Nightjets, however). Staff was friendly and professional, both on the train and i the lounge. Having a choice of breakfast items and having it delivered at a time or your choosing to your cabin is a nice touch. Also a goodie bag with a small bottle of sparkling wine, some snacks, ear plugs, eye mask and slippers. Arrival time in Utrecht or Amsterdam is comfortable. Some adjoining sleeping car cabins can be connected.
SJ, the Swedish Railways, which sadly will stop operating the night train between Stockholm and Berlin after next summer, still has a solid offering in their sleeping cars. Pros: good bedding, towels, friendly staff, quiet ride. Best breakfast in terms of quality and freshness, though one may have to walk throughout the entire train to get it. Comfortable arrival time in Stockholm, and everything after Alvesta is OK. Cons: very tight space - especially if you are two. No room for a suitcase if you are two (to carry-ons or backpacks are OK). Also not enough table space for two to enjoy breakfast conveniently. The water pressure in cabin sink was abysmal. But the shared bathrooms were better, and kept clean. No goodie bag, but a couple of small sweets and water. Adjoining cabins can be connected.
Looking at the map of European night trains, some hubs in the center of the continent stand out, such Vienna, Budapest and Prague. It is tempting to think of these a bit like the airline hubs on the Arabian peninsula, though they probably have a lot more to offer a visitor. By connecting shorter day traisn with a long-distance night train, many pairs of major European cities can be connected by train in less than 24 hours. Using these hubs, one may even be able to design circular itiniaries connecting major cities entirely by night train, such as Amsterdam-Prague-Budapest-Munich-Amsterdam, or, if and when the European Sleeper service from Milan to Amsterdam starts, Amsterdam-Berlin-Vienna-Rome-Milan-Amsterdam. Or how about Berlin-Graz-Split-Budapest-Berlin in the summertime?
Both SJ and ÖBB also offer first class accommodation, with en-suite toilet and shower facilities, though I have yet to experience those myself.
Picture of comfort couchette in the European Sleeper from Utrecht to Dresden.
Picture of the European Sleeper breakfast, with instant coffee, juice, bread roll, crackers, Nutella and other spreads, yoghurt and crüsli.
Picture from the ÖBB sleeping car from Innsbruck to Utrecht.
Picture of the customized ÖBB breakfast, mine with coffee, apple juice, bread rolls, Birchermüsli yoghurt, butter, salami.
Picture from the SJ sleeping car from Hamburg to Norrköping.
Picture of the SJ breakfast, with drip coffee, apple juice, bread, butter, jam, cheese, bell pepper and tomato, boiled egg, müsli, and yoghurt.