night train Milano to Koln

You can see schedules on the Deutsche Bahn website. Be sure you're looking at the correct day of the week.

It looks as if the overnight trip will take about 12-14 hours, and I see no sign of sleeping accommodations on any of the trains. That would be a nightmare for me. I'd be a zombie the next day, and my sleep scheduled would be messed up for at least two days.

Have you considered flying?

Why a night Train?

There used to be a number of night trains that would travel through the night direct to a destination, but nearly all have gone away.

You can certainly board a train later in the evening and arrive in Koln the next morning, but nearly all options require multiple changes, and somewhere along the way you will arrive in a station late (1:00 AM for example) with the next train leaving 3-5 hours later. Spending that long in a train station, in the middle of the night (They may boot you out) is not my preferred mode of travel. Basically, trains do not typically run all night.

Have a look at the DB Bahn website ( https://www.bahn.de/en/view/index.shtml ) you can enter in Milan (Milano Centrale) and Koln (Colonia(Koln)) for the date you wish to travel and see the options. It would be quickest to travel during the day. You can purchase and reserve on the DB site.

There is no night train from Milano to Köln. The nearest option is Milano To München (depart Milano 20:40, arrive München 08:19). You would then have to get a normal day train to Köln. Details of the night train here: https://www.nightjet.com/en/reiseziele/deutschland/muenchen.html
Then select "departure from: Italy".

"wonder how to make reservations for these trains." - Do you mean make reservations, or buy tickets?
For the night train to Münich use the Nightjet website as above
For other trains in Germany, the answer is the DB (German Railways) website: https://www.bahn.com/en/view/index.shtml

To lookup times, enter From: Milano Centrale, To: Köln, date and time: 20:00
Then click on "Change other data", and "Add intermediate stops" and add a stop in München. If you don't do that, it will pick the quickest route which is the last train to Basel (arrive ~01:00), followed by the first train from there to Köln (~05:00). Sometimes computers are not very sensibel.

Hi,

Coming from the south, ie Italy, by night train, you have Munich as your hub, a very doable connection.

Take the night train to Munich, change in Munich to Köln. (Munich to Köln is also a night train connection, I've done it, the opposite route, Düsseldorf to Munich) You have one change in Munich...a very doable connection. It's much better going through Munich from Italy than through France at night.

Keep in mind that Italy is connected by night train, of which there are numerous night routes connecting Croatia, Germany, Austria, Italy, Poland, Budapest, Prague, Slovenia by the NJ or EN night trains. It works if you tailor your routes.

Another option is to take a regular day train to Innsbruck, and the night train to Köln from there. That route means that you'll cross the alps during the day, and won't sleep through the great views. That route also involves no changes during the night, so yes you'll want a sleeper.

Maybe I am confused but what is the point of taking a train? In this case you are going to have to spend severs hours during the day one way or the other (or lose a nights sleep) so you may as well just take a plane. And it is not like you are going to see much. The best views are going to be in the dark of the night.
Back 20 years ago when you could go to sleep in city A and wake up in City B it was a good idea as you basically got your travel time for free. But with the reduction in sleeper service it is less likely to work out that way. It is sad because for a tourist the ability to travel while asleep is really useful.
I was in Europe the last couple years and looked at sleeper options (I am a train buff and thought it would be interesting) but I never did find two cities that had sleeper service that I planed to go to in that order so every time it was a longer time commitment then just traveling during the day.
And personally when I am in Europe I make these decisions based on what is the most effective use of my time.

So from the sounds of it you may want to look into air travel.

By the way it looks like flights are about an hour and a half to two hours and can be had for a couple hundred (probably less then the train)

Hi,

You have a few factors to contend with here, going from Milano to Köln. They depend on your travel style, level of comfort, (if that is important to you), expense, here I mean , what you are willing to pay for or not and how much, say flying or getting a sleeper or, you may decide forget flying and go for the sleeper, time limit, what you're willing to cope or not cope with,

The train route suggestion going through Innsbruck is also doable. Milano is a major train station in northern Italy, Of course, it will be connected to Germany by night train.

The absolute cheapest way doing the night train option is no sleeper, just sit in a 6 seat compartment with a max of 5 other "strangers" to them you are the stranger too. You can almost be certain on the Munich-Milano leg you will have a full compartment, maybe just minus one person. This is your absolute cheapest way to go if the cost is the most important factor, just get there and pay the least, forget any comfort factor, etc.

Now, if the NJ night connection has a general seating area, that's even better. I much rather prefer that over the compartment since with everyone's luggage in the compartment it just might get cramp.

I assume you are going alone. If so, I would have no problems at all doing the night train route, solo, no sleeper either, changing in Munich Hbf, and after a leisurely breakfast, take the 2nd leg to Köln direct or via Düsseldorf. I know these routes and German train stations, so I know what I am doing.

I don't, however, take night trains which have a middle of the night connection.....a bit too taxing...but I have seen locals do it, getting off and on at 0230 or 0330 hrs. In doing the night trains there are ways of tailoring your routes in Germany as to avoid changing in the 2-3 am time slot, which I've avoided.