Overnight trains

When looking at overnight trains, it is suggested that you develop a good itinerary of where you want to go. This itinerary should include dates and times. Then learn how to use the train websites to view schedules and train changes. On many night runs, you change trains in the middle of the night. On many others, you don't. If you search this site for night trains you will find lots of people who like the night trains and others who complain of not enough rest and too much movement by the trains. There are certainly a lot of them that run throughout Europe so they do work well.

If you are more specific on where you will be going, you will get better answers. Western and Central Europe are large areas.

The best train and plane transportation person on this site is Tim from Minot, N.D. He is an avid night train advocate and can provide the very best info on how to find, book and travel on them. Hopefully, Tim will be along soon.

Sorry! I should have been more precise...

Berlin/Warsaw, Krakow/Prague, Prague/Budapest, Vienna/Venice and possibly Lisbon/Madrid.

I'd say it depends on your budgetary and privacy requirements. To me, a private cabin in an (non-changing) overnight train is quite enjoyable and restful - when I can afford it.

But a cheap couchette with 5 other people - not for me. Been there, done that, got old. ;)

I've taken 3 night trains and didn't sleep well on any of them. On two of them we were in a compartment with all family so it wasn't so bad. On the last one - we had a stranger in the compartment and it was very uncomfortable. Since you are spacing them out, it shouldn't be too be too bad as option. I actually did the Vienna to Venice train. Not too bad.

I like night trains, but I can sleep anywhere. Yes, the train is less tiring than the bus. To get the most rest, book only DIRECT night trains and get at least a bunk in a four-person couchette. A bed in a three-person sleeper would be even better.

You could book all of your routes by phoning the German Rail Call Center. Dial + 49 1805 - 996633 from outside Germany. (Should be cheaper than RailEurope.) Go to www.bahn.de to get timetables for all your routes.

However, if you phone the Swiss Rail Call Center, you can get SparSchiene tickets for Vienna-Venice. See here: http://tinyurl.com/2dpmvm.

For Lisbon-Madrid you might save money by flying on either easyJet or Vueling.

Warsaw-Krakow and Krakow-Prague are not long enough to justify the cost of a night train, even in Poland. If a night train even exists for these routes, you'll have to either leave late at night or arrive very early in the morning. I have not ridden the other stretches of your proposed trip, so I can't comment.

But as others have noted, 6 overnight trains over 45-50 days is very reasonable, even if you get little sleep.

Thanks everyone!

I think I'll stick with my original itinerary. Even if I don't get much sleep, I'll have time to read, write in my travel journal and also to see more sights.

One other thing though: does anyone have any experience to share about arriving to a new city very early in the morning (something like 5 or 6am)? I'll have my hostel reservation done already and all but it just seems a little harsh to adjust so early in the morning. Obviously, if it's possible, I'll try to get a better train schedule but sometimes, it just ain't possible.

I usually find a storage locker/site at the train station for my luggage, then go out and wander the streets as the city awakens. It's the best time of day to experience a city and its people, before all the "tourists" wake up. I find a cafe or two, order a coffee and a roll of some sort, and watch all the people go by....even if it's a place in the station itself, which will be probably be busy with commuter traffic. In many cities, the locals drop by their favourite cafe on the way to work for a quick breakfast. It's a fascinating way to feel like you're part of the city itself.

Prauge is particularly worth exploring early in the morning. Its the only time of day when hoardes of tourists won't obstruct your camera's view of Charles Bridge. But if you leave your bags in a locker at the train station, you'll have to back-track a bit far to recover them once you check in to your lodging.

Many hostels don't allow you to occupy your room until the afternoon (they're cleaning in the morning), but often you can store your bags at the hostel in the meantime.

That actually sound really nice. I guess I didn't really see it that way. Now I'm all excited about it. :)