Night Trains in Europe return?

OEBB, the Austrian National Railway still operates a lot of night trains in Europe with its NightJet brand.

Thanks for the link, I signed up for their newsletter. Have a feeling it won’t be cheap, but could be affordable.

Regiojet, Snälltåget and other companies are also expanding their night train routes. They are coming back.

Love this! Thanks. This might be perfect for our RS Rome…as Paris is always a good idea.

The Caledonian Sleeper was a highlight of three weeks in Great Britain a few years ago. "Hurtling through the midlands at 15 miles an hour!"

"They are coming back." Fantastic.

"... it's a thing of the past." The night train was never a thing of the past, even though night service were reduced but night trains were still running if one was determined to use that option.

Yeah, I guess they were. Have not taken them but what I read was noisy cramped accommodations, poorly maintained bathrooms, little if any real food. I think what this company is attempting to do is revamp that and make a night train something it currently is not.

My most recent European night train was Umea to Stockholm in 2015. It was neither cramped nor dirty, and was in fact perfect. There were fewer and fewer routes, but I have never been on a night train that I didn’t enjoy so not sure where your info comes from.

As I said, second hand reports on this board. Here is one with a variety of responses https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/night-trains-d5f9b7ac-4251-46d3-83ca-8482f61ac8c9

if you watch Youtube train videos (and if you don't, why not?), all the online train reviewers are reviewing the heck out of overnight trains. They get generally good reviews that fade somewhat as you head into the former Eastern Europe. Start with Seat 61 and the algorithm will supply the rest.

SNCF in France is bringing one or two back, also.

Have not taken them but what I read was noisy cramped accommodations,
poorly maintained bathrooms, little if any real food.

You should probably try one yourself. True, the compartments are not big. But I've never encountered poorly maintained bathrooms and I've never found it noisy. The food offered onboard is usually good enough.

As I said, second hand reports on this board. Here is one with a
variety of responses.

Given that the poster also hasn't been on a night train, this seems more like a 3rd hand report. But to comment on the post:

Do you not worry about your luggage while you are enjoying your last
half day where you are or do you drag the luggage around with you for
the day?

No. If the hotel won't let me store the bag there, most major stations have luggage lockers.

Now its 10 pm and you are on the night train. At what time did you
really get to sleep? Good morning. Train arrives at 6:30am. What time
did you get up? Starved? Coffee?

For night trains to work, the trip need to be long enough to get some sleep. I try to avoid them if they depart after 22 or arrive before 7. I've once taken a night train that arrived 5.45 or so, and I can't recommend it. But it was my trip back home, so after a 5 min bus ride I could sleep a bit more in my own bed.

Off to the hotel to drop the bags since check in is at 2pm. Same worry
about the bags as the day before.

I.e. no worry at all.

Its August in Europe where air conditioning is as rare as hair on a
lizard and you haven't bathed in nearly 30 hours; how is it that you
do not stink?

Or take a shower on the train before you arrive.

I can tell you about my detour to Oslo a number of years ago when travelling to western Sweden (Värmland). Instead of just taking the train to Värmland I took the night train to Oslo. Slept well, woke up a bit before 7 as the train ran along the Oslo fjord, and I was lucky enough to be on the fjord side of the train. Took a shower, got dressed and alighted the train when it arrived at Oslo central station 7.30. Went to a nearby hotel to have breakfast (included in the ticket) before I left my bag in a luggage locker at the station and was ready for a day of sightseeing in Oslo. I then took a late afternoon train back to Sweden. All in all a great day in Oslo thanks to the night train.

We loved the Night Riviera from London to Truro a few years ago. It's still operating. We spent the day in London, arrived at the first class waiting area at Paddington around 8 pm. Ate lots of free snacks. We were allowed in our sleeper around 9:30. Went to sleep before we left the station. Woke up to an attendant bringing us a nice continental breakfast. Got dressed. Off the train in Truro.

It’s been a while, but they worked. Nicest was from Strasbourg to Avignon, France, 20 years ago. Most “interesting” was from Bulgaria to Romania, and another in Russia.

For a little Night Train soundtrack while you ponder this thread: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ymd3NKqK4I4

Thanks for the update, Alan!

Many memories of spending the night in a coach, not even a couchette, as a student in 1983 with an Interrail card . . . Paris-Vienna, Paris-Florence, Venice-Paris, Madrid-Lisbon, Nice-Pamplona, and so many more! Don't want to do that again, but I hope the night trains remain.

We’re taking the first class private compartment Nightjet train from Zurich to Vienna as part of our Fall trip. Will def be reporting back. Sounds lovely to me

Above reported. Spasibo.