I'm busily planning our train trip and humming along until...I try to check prices for couchettes and sleepers on our very first leg, Munich to Venice. I've already selected Saver Select Passes - $2388 - and then check the additional cost of sleeper berths for the four of us. They range from $400 to $1200 for one night - for passholders, not ticket+sleeper! What am I missing? Why would Rick say night trains are a great way to save a night's hotel cost? This is more like one week's hotel costs! I've checked bahn.de, seat61.com, raileurope.ca and the prices consistently come back in this range. Yes, couchettes are a lot more reasonable, but sleepers would be nicer right after the trans-Atlantic flight. Any tips and tricks appreciated. This can't be right.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
6788 posts
My tip is....fuggedaboudit.
Some folks just are not able to sleep on a train - I'm one of them. I've tried two "night trains" in hopes of magically saving money on a hotel and getting somewhere. Sure, I ended up where the train was going, but I never slept two seconds the whole time, despite what would certainly be ideal train sleeping conditions (ear plugs, eye mask, blankets & pillows, and a compartment to me and the wife.
I learned that the "night train trick" is just another way of saying "sleepless night, followed by zombie day." Now, I'm sure that night trains can indeed work for some people, but for others, not so much.
Just my 2 eurocents.
Posted by
OP
Abruzzo Mountains
1075 posts
interesting - sounds like night trains aren't so popular! Yes, I think we'll just drag our tired bodies onto a train as soon as we arrive and either doze or watch the scenery. Sounds like there's no point hanging around most of a day just to take a night train. Thanks. Of course dissenting points of view always welcome!
Posted by
Richmond, Virginia, USA
345 posts
Being able to sleep on a night train is completely individual. We took a night train from Paris to Salzburg. My wife slept like a rock (but, she can sleep standing up!). I, on the other hand, didn't sleep a wink. Well, maybe I did sleep ONE wink - who knows, I was too tired.
We got into Salzburg at 4:30 AM! What a drag!!! Never again.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
For the record, I found these prices at bahn.de for passholder supplements on the Munich-Venice night train: €30/person for bunks in a four-person couchette and €60/person for beds in two economy double cabins.
There is a direct EuroCity train that leaves Munich at 11:30 and arrives at Venezia Santa Lucia at 18:10. I think the passholder seat reservation fee would be €4. Without a pass the standard fare is €97.90 and the bahn.de Europa-Spezial Italien fare is €53.
What countries are you visiting? If you haven't purchased your Select Saver passes yet, you should know that point-to-point tickets may be cheaper, particularly if you can get discount fares by booking well in advance.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19238 posts
Those passholder fares Tim mentions don't immediately show up when you click on "check availablilty" for the night train. The fares that show up first are the full and promo fares, without a pass. At the bottom is a link for "book only extra fare". Click that link (then select Eurail) and you will see the passholder fares.
And, BTW, I've only been on one night train in Europe, and I had no trouble sleeping. And I'm one who can never sleep on the flight over. I've also spent nine nights going to and from college on overnight trains in this country and never had a problem sleeping.
Posted by
OP
Abruzzo Mountains
1075 posts
I think I've found the best answer - actually fly to where I want to go first! Turns out that open jaw itineraries are the same number of frequent flyer points as round-trips. Maybe you all knew that, but it was a surprise to me. So I'll just rearrange the itinerary a bit, fly into Paris and stay in France for a while, then go to Italy by daytime train to see the Alps once we're rested, then Germany, then fly home from Frankfurt.
I am learning so much here - and having a blast planning the trip. Thanks everyone!
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32325 posts
Nelly,
My suggestion would be to use the EC train that Tim mentioned. That's not a long trip and there's some great scenery in the Kufstein-Brennero portion.
Happy travels!
Posted by
Tulsa, Oklahoma, US
290 posts
Nelly, we recently took an overnight from Krakow to Budapest and both slept well although, like Lee, I can never sleep on the flight over. The fare for a two berth compartment was € 45 over and above the regular fare. Obviously night trains aren't for everybody but we had a wonderful trip; for the first hour or so everybody was out in the passageway in their pajamas having an impromptu party, drinking wine and having a great time. Try it once to see if it works for you.