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large luggage on Nightjet Amsterdam to Innsbruck?

Or better, my bike?

Need to get from Netherlands to Austrian/Italian Alps with my bike and don't have the time to ride. Need to do it efficiently if possible. Nightjet Amsterdam to Innsbruck is the perfect solution, except that unlike most other Nightjet trains, as far as I can figure this one doesn't take any bicycles at all.

I'll fly if need be, but would rather use the train.

If book a sleeper compartment all to myself, and pack my bike into a fairly large bicycle bag, can I take it into my compartment with me? It would be a problem if I showed up with my bagged bike (about 150cm x 100cm x 30cm) and was rejected.

Bonus question, why bikes on other Nightjet trains but not Amsterdam departure? No place to store in the particular sleeper cars probably?

thanks!

Posted by
2309 posts

Bonus question, why bikes on other Nightjet trains but not Amsterdam departure?

The Nightjet currently carries bikes only between Austria and Germany / Switzerland, the only exception being Zurich-Amsterdam, which has a bicycle compartment in the attached German IC 60402 / IC 60403.

Posted by
1742 posts

As I suspected then. Thanks.

Any idea about large luggage if you book a sleeper compartment for one person? Thanks

Posted by
973 posts

Anything as big as a bike box is unlike to get around the corners or up stairs etc. on a night train. Why not travel early morning or late evening instead?

Posted by
1742 posts

https://content.instructables.com/F94/Z2TT/KF6TPX1H/F94Z2TTKF6TPX1H.jpg?auto=webp

Jim thank you for your help I appreciate it.

My bike would be in a soft bag about the size of that picture above. Other luggage would be minimal, and I'm easily able to lift the bike bag up and turn it in any direction. I'm. I'm assuming sure that I could easily carry it into any place that a moderately obese person could walk.

And my itinerary helps maybe in that I'm getting on at the first stop and off at the last stop, plenty of time on both ends. And more importantly plenty of time to speak calmly to a conductor who is not feeling time pressure if I show up early.

Still a no-go?

If I can get the bag to a private sleeper compartment with no problem, do you think it would be allowed?

I know that there is a higher chance with an Austrian civil servant that the letter of the rule might be strictly followed: a bicycle is inside the bag, no bicycles, so no bag. I also don't want to stereotype too much. I've encountered plenty of Germanic people who are flexible pragmatists: train allows bags that fit, bag fits, bag is allowed on train (?)

Posted by
6794 posts

Could you use the Amsterdam-Zürich sleeper instead and connect to Innsbruck via Railjet? Or use a daytime train to Germany and connect with a Nightjet there?

Posted by
1742 posts

As for why not a daytime trip, the earliest I can depart is after dinner Tuesday night and I need to meet people in Bolzano on Thursday afternoon.

I hate the idea of burning all day on the train Wednesday. And when I say all day, we are talking a 13-hour day with a whole bunch of changes. It's a pain in the butt to shepherd a bicycle through train after train after train on a tight schedule.

What I want to do is get to Innsbruck overnight, and then ride to Bolzano over Brenner pass. I want to add Brenner pass to my list of classic alpine climbs. Then spend the night out on the road somewhere and do some exploring on the way to Bolzano.

If it comes down to daytime travel I will probably fly. I can fly direct to Venice for instance in just 90 minutes. And then I guess I could ride up to Bolzano from there.

But I prefer the train!

Posted by
1742 posts

Balso I'm looking at both of those ideas too thanks.

Zurich isn't getting me where I want to go as well, but I could ride my bike out of Zurich for a 100-150km tour before catching a train to Innsbruck. Spend the night in Innsbruck and then train to the top of Brenner pass the next morning.

I would rather ride up the Brenner pass though, and I'm not sure about the quality of routes out of Zurich to someplace where you could then get a direct train, or one easy change, to Innsbruck.

I definitely don't dislike riding in the rolling hills part of Switzerland though, won't be a bad consolation prize if my first option doesn't work out.

Posted by
1742 posts

And Balso it's also a good idea to look at a train to Germany and then a night jet from there thanks. The most convenient night jet from Germany is, drum roll please, the night jet that leaves from Amsterdam :)

Obviously that one's out. So I need to see where the night jet that runs from Northern Germany to Innsbruck stops. I'm assuming it might be pretty far from Amsterdam to get to that connection.

Posted by
1742 posts

Thanks I will give contacting OBB a try.

Posted by
14482 posts

If I were doing this route by train, since flying is not an option, I would plan on leisurely unrushed train rides, even if a bit round about as to avoid transferring at uncomfortable hours, or multiple transfers, and with time factored in for a meal in the station, etc. No sleeper car.

My route would be departing late afternoon Amsterdam-Düsseldorf, take the direct OeBB night train to Munich, (I've done this night route a few times), time for breakfast in Munich, then board the EC Munich direct to Innsbruck.

Posted by
6794 posts

I don't understand your comment about riding out of Zürich: there are direct trains from Zürich to Innsbruck, the Railjets. I'm not 100% sure they take bikes but most Austrian trains do.
As for the bike-friendly Hamburg-Innsbruck sleeper, the closest it gets to Amsterdam is Hannover and that's a 4:20 train ride from Amsterdam so not compatible with your schedule.