The new future of sleeper trains

"Overnight train travel has been booming." Good to know. This first sentence is very encouraging, it calls into doubt that the option of night train travel is declining or let alone vanishing. Quite the contrary is the focus of this article.

Just great to see that the French government is now joining in financially to enhance night train travel by offering a direct Paris to Berlin night connection. A direct connection means no need to change trains in Offenburg.

All the night trains I've taken, never had a 3 AM connection. There are ways to avoid that.

When I take night trains, I have always had a direct shot arriving between 6-9 AM. However, I have seen others doing just that in Germany, ie, the 3 AM connection, .....all Germans boarding the train at 3 AM.

European budget airlines have about killed off the sleeper trains.

Why spend overnight on a train when you can travel by budget airline from anywhere to anywhere in Europe in 2 hours? And airfares are often ridiculously cheap--less expensive than a train.

The low budget airlines do not fly from everywhere to everywhere. The are mostly concentrated on the holiday market. So you have lots of opportunities to fly form Northern England to Spain for example. But from somewhere in central Europe to somewhere else in central europe I often end up taking the train as the faster, cheaper and more comfortable alternative.

For example I had to be in Vienna for business, and booked the NJ, in a deluxe compartment with shower (have to arrive refreshed at the customer) and it was still cheaper than flying. The late departure on the way back meant I could fit in a dinner in Vienna. All in all a good use of my time.

I am really looking forward to more night trains. The biggest problem right now is availability.

The focus of the article is that not only night train service is "booming" (absolutely fantastic ) but other governments are financially expanding this by their involvement. If night travel is "booming," then who are these travelers making use of the favourable option.... presumably Europeans.

Why spend overnight on a train when you can travel by budget airline from anywhere to anywhere in Europe in 2 hours?

A night train saves you a hotel night, so is actually very cost effective. It gets you to your next destination near the centre, and well rested. It is approximately 1000% more romantic/atmospheric to take a night train compared to being squished like a sardine in some budget airliner.